-NRLF 


LIBR     1Y 

1      UNIVERSITY  OF 
^CALIFORNIA 


PARSON  HUBERT'S  SCHOOL; 


OR, 


HARRY  KINGSLEY'S  TRIAL. 


BY    MRS.    M  YERS. 


"'Twixt  truth  and  error  is  this  difference  known : 
Error  is  fruitful,  truth  is  only  one." 


THREE       ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Nero  TJork : 

PUBLISHED  BY  CAKLTON&  POUTER, 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL    UNION,    v><>   MUI.BKKKY-STBRKT. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in   the  year  1861,  by 
CARLTON   &  POUTER, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court   of  th*  United  States 
for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


*    ff^6' 
CONTENTS. 


I.  THE  HOME  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS ? 

II.  THE  REDE  ON  HORSEBACK 26 

III.  THE  PET  DEER 38 

IV.  THE  CROW'S  NEST 52 

V.  THE  MILLER'S  BOY 59 

VI.  OLD  WALTER'S  VISIT 77 

VII.  TURNING  OVER  A  NEW  LEAF 93 

VIII.  PARSON  HUBERT  AT  HOME 100 

IX.  NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES 112 

X.  A  MOONLIGHT  FLITTING 147 

XI.  HARDER  LESSONS  THAN  THE  FIRST 162 

XII.  TRUTH  is  ALWAYS  BEST 188 

XIII.  ANOTHER  MISADVENTURE 200 

XIV.  A  DAWNING  OF  BETTER  THINGS 221 

XV.  A  CHRISTMAS  PARTY  . .  .237 


(Uttstoiiffits. 


HENRY'S  DANGEROUS  RIDE 2 

PARSON  HUBERT'S 105 

HENRY  PLAYING  SOLDIER  . .  , 212 


749 


f 


PARSON  HUBERT'S  SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    HOME    IN   THE    MOUNTAINS. 

FOR  a  long  time  that  part  of  Pennsyl 
vania  which  borders  on  the  State  of  New 
York  was  considered  a  perfect  wilderness, 
and  received  that  name,  which  it  partially 
retains  even  at  this  day.  Mountain  on 
mountain,  some  conical,  some  long-ridged, 
but  mostly  crowned  with  rocky  summits 
starting  abruptly  out  of  the  pine  forest, 
rose  innumerable;  and  wooded  precipices, 
brawling  brooks,  or  foaming  cascades 
were  not  wanting  to  give  variety  to  the 
scene.  Deep  forests  of  beach,  chestnut, 
oak,  or  maple,  abounding  in  game,  and 
for  a  long  time  never  traversed  except  by 


8  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

the  trapper  or  Indian,  clothed  the  plains 
lying  at  the  foot. 

But  after  the  Revolution,  when  the  tide 
of  emigration  fairly  set  in,  and  adven 
turers  began  to  explore  the  wilderness  in 
search  of  other  treasures  than  those  be 
longing  to  a  primitive  state,  masses  of 
rich  ore,  principally  iron,  were  found  hid 
den  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  and  na 
ture  in  her  rich  providing  furnished 
every  facility  of  wood  and  water  for 
having  those  mines  worked  to  advant 
age. 

There  are  few  difficulties  which  perse 
verance  cannot  overcome.  A  rich  En 
glishman,  filled  with  the  love  of  specu 
lative  adventure,  then  becoming  so 
prevalent,  with  men  and  means  at  his 
command,  took  up  thousands  of  acres ; 
the  forests  were  hewed  down,  roads  open 
ed,  buildings  erected  in  the  denuded 
spaces,  and  the  work  of  civilization  once 
commenced  went  on  rapidly. 

It  has  been  said  that  a  store,  tavern, 
and  blacksmith's  shop  constitute  an 
American  village;  if  so  the  clearing  or 


THE    HOME    IN    THE   MOUNTAINS.  9 

settlement  of  "  George's  Valley,"  for  so 
it  was  called,  might  have  been  almost 
termed  a  city,  for  smelting  furnaces  and 
forges  soon  began  to  mingle  their  sulphur 
ous  smoke  with  the  pure  air ;  workmen's 
cottages  were  seen  standing  in  rows,  or 
else  placed  here  and  there  in  the  most 
romantic  spots,  and  a  busy  population, 
intent  on  the  same  ends,  made  Rushton 
Furnace  a  miniature  world. 

Many  farms  were  also  rapidly  cleared 
in  the  neighborhood ;  the  head  wraters  of 
the  Susquehanna  affording  a  means  of 
water  carriage  for  lumber  or  grain  to  the 
cities.  The  face  of  the  whole  region  was 
soon  changed  from  that  of  primitive  wil 
derness  to  one  of  smiling  plenty  and  rural 
beauty. 

Enough,  however,  of  the  original  for 
ests  remained  to  harbor  plenty  of  game ; 
large  tracts  of  mountain  woodland  afford 
ed  a  resting-place  for  deer;  bears  and 
wolves  found  a  lair  in  the  caverns  or 
among  the  rocks,  and  gunning  or  the 
chase  was  pursued  as  pastime  by  the 
sturdy  farmers. 


10  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

Mr.  Kingsley,  the  Englishman  who 
owned  the  iron  works,  had  found  his 
speculation  succeed  beyond  his  utmost 
expectations ;  he  built  a  house  in  the 
English  style,  furnished  it  elegantly,  lived 
in  wealth  and  comfort  to  extreme  old  age, 
and  bequeathed  his  honorably  acquired 
wealth  to  his  only  son. 

Many  years  passed  away  in  increasing 
prosperity  and  happiness,  until  one  day, 
as  the  younger  Mr.  Kingsley  was  riding 
through  the  coaling  grounds  in  the  mount 
ains,  his  horse  fell  with  him,  and  he  was 
taken  up  for  dead.  Life,  however,  still 
remained.  He  was  taken  into  a  collier's 
cabin,  laid  upon  a  bed  of  leaves,  and  af 
ter  a  few  hours  of  suffering  expired. 

Old  Walter  Rowley,  who  in  his  boy 
hood  had  accompanied  the  elder  Kings- 
ley  from  England,  and  who  was  now  an 
old  gray-headed  man,  filling  the  place  of 
overseer  or  steward  of  the  farms,  had  gone 
out  to  help  measure  the  wood  and  note 
the  arrangement  of  the  coal-pits.  Great 
ly  attached  to  the  son  of  his  old  friend, 
he  had  obtained  his  confidence  in  a  high 


THE    HOME    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.  11 

degree,  and  with  almost  the  feelings  of  a 
father  for  an  only  son,  he  stood  beside 
the  dying  man  and  received  his  last 
charge. 

"  I  am  dying,  Walter,"  said  Mr.  Kings- 
ley ;  "leaving  the  world  in  the  fullness  of 
my  strength  and  manhood;  my  son  will 
have  great  wealth,  which  may  prove  a 
snare  to  him  ;  promise  me  that  you  will 
watch  over  and  faithfully  admonish  him 
when  you  find  it  necessary.  I  do  not 
know  any  one  to  whom  I  would  rather 
trust  him  than  yourself,  for  you  always 
do  your  duty." 

Walter  promised,  and,  as  he  held  the 
hand  of  the  dying  man  in  his  own,  he  re 
solved  that  nothing  should  ever  make 
him  swerve  from  the  performance  of  the 
high  duty  to  which  he  had  thus  dedicated 
himself. 

Great  was  the  consternation  and  dis 
tress  which  the  tidings  occasioned  at 
Rushton  Furnace.  The  shock  was  too 
much  for  Mi's.  Kingsley,  who  was  in  fee 
ble  health,  and  after  the  funeral  solemni 
ties  were  over  she  was  seized  with  a  nerv- 


12  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

otis  fever  which  brought  her  to  the 
borders  of  the  grave.  Gradually  she 
grew  better,  but  the  effect  of  the  nervous 
prostration  still  remained.  She  imagined 
herself  very  ill,  never  left  her  darkened 
chamber,  and  could  not  bear  even  the 
slight  disturbance  of  a  foot-fall. 

Out  of  a  large  family  only  one  son  re 
mained,  and,  as  may  be  supposed,  he  was 
regarded  by  his  mother  as  her  greatest 
treasure.  Mr.  Kingsley  during  his  life 
had  not  been  blind  to  the  faults  of  his 
son,  and  tried  his  best  to  counteract  the 
effect  produced  upon  the  boy's  character, 
not  only  by  his  mother's  indulgence,  but 
the  subservience  of  the  work-people  on 
the  estate.  He  therefore  kept  him  in 
check  by  a  discipline  mild,  as  dictated 
by  a  parent's  heart,  but  firm,  as  became  a 
man  and  a  Christian  who  believed  in  the 
wisdom  which  inculcated  the  precept  to 
"  train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should 


go." 


Under  the  steady  rule  of  this  judicious 
parent,  Harry  had  passed  for  a  good  kind 
of  a  boy;  he  never  transgressed  the  bounds 


THE    HOME    IN    THE   MOUNTAINS.  13 

of  propriety  so  greatly  as  to  outrage  the 
rude  and  ignorant  people  who  formed  the 
world  around  him  at  Rush  ton  Iron  Works  ; 
nevertheless  there  were  latent  disposi 
tions  which  had  been  kept  down  under 
the  correct  guidance  of  his  father,  but 
were  ready  to  break  forth  as  soon  as  op 
portunity  was  offered  for  their  full  devel 
opment. 

Harry  wras  nine  years  old  when  he  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  his  father,  and  the 
sad  state  into  which  his  mother  had  fallen 
rendered  her  totally  incapable  of  doing 
the  double  duty  now  imposed  upon  her ;  so 
the  boy  might,  indeed,  have  been  con 
sidered  an  orphan,  left  wTholly  to  his  own 
guidance. 

As  there  wras  no  suitable  school  in  the 
neighborhood,  a  tutor  had  been  provided 
for  him.  Mr.  Arnold  had  been  well  rec- 
com mended,  and  proved  himself  capable. 
During  Mr.  Kingsley's  life  he  had  con 
ducted  himself  so  prudently  that  his  real 
character  had  never  been  suspected  by 
any  one  in  the  household.  The  poor 
mother,  having  the  most  implicit  confi- 


14  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

dence  in  Mr.  Arnold,  gave  her  son  en 
tirely  into  his  charge,  and  as  the  utmost 
quiet  was  enjoined  by  her  physician,  and 
his  room  was  in  a  distant  part  of  the  large 
building,  she  saw  but  little  of  him. 

Harry  cared  very  little  to  visit  his 
mother.  The  windows  were  darkened 
with  heavy  curtains,  the  floor  covered 
writh  thick  carpets.  All  was  gloomy  and 
quiet.  He  could  not  spin  his  humming 
top,  he  could  not  see  to  read  the  funny 
stories  in  his  picture  books,  or  paint  the 
ink  engravings  with  the  water  colors  of 
which  he  was  the  proud  possessor.  Thus, 
although  he  could  not  help  observing 
what  pleasure  it  gave  his  mother  to  see 
him,  and  he  loved  her  too,  he  was  too 
fond  of  self  to  make  the  least  sacrifice  of 
his  time,  give  up  one  single  amusement, 
or  remain  a  moment  longer  in  the  sick 
chamber  than  he  could  possibly  help. 

His  mother  often  sent  for  him.  If  he 
obeyed  the  summons,  he  showed  himself 
restless  and  uneasy  during  the  short  time 
he  stayed.  Mostly,  however,  he  excused 
himself  from  going  at  all,  urging  that  he 


THE    HOME    IN    THE   MOUNTAINS.  15 

had  some  lessons  to  learn,  or  was  going  to 
the  fields  or  woods  to  gather  plants  with 
Mr.  Arnold,  or  to  ride  with  Walter  Rowley 
and  help  to  measure  the  wood  in  the 
clearings. 

Thus  was  the  poor  mother  deceived, 
and  the  more  readily,  as  Harry  was  cun 
ning  enough  to  evince  great  interest  and 
affection  when  he  did  visit  her ;  and  his 
tutor,  in  order  to  preserve  his  situation 
and  save  the  invalid  from  increase  of  suf 
fering,  always  gave  favorable  reports  of 
Harry's  great  diligence  and  progress, 
which  sent  gleams  of  comfort  to  her 
troubled  heart  and  lightened  the  burden 
of  her  sorrow. 

But  our  poor  Harry !  Released  from 
the  discipline  exercised  over  him  by  his 
excellent  father,  and  exulting  in  the  lib 
erty  thus  afforded  him  of  being  his  own 
master,  he  was  in  most  dangerous  circum 
stances,  for  the  road  to  ruin  is  easy.  He 
had  many  fine  traits  of  character,  and  for 
the  most  part  had  been  a  favorite  with  the 
retainers  on  the  estate.  Rude  and  igno 
rant  as  they  were,  he  had  been  taught  to 


16  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

treat  them  with  the  courtesy  which  is 
ever  due  from  one  human  being  to  an 
other,  remembering  that  God  has  created 
them,  and  they  too  are  heirs  of  immortal 
ity,  partakers  of  the  justification  purchased 
by  the  blood  of  the  atonement. 

Now,  however,  this  was  changed.  Flat 
tered  by  the  designing  as  the  heir  of  this 
great  estate,  he  became  proud  and 
haughty,  began  to  act  the  great  man, 
never  spoke  but  in  a  tone  of  command, 
until,  from  being  beloved,  he  became  dis 
liked  by  all  who  knew  him,  although 
some,  for  purposes  of  their  own,  vailed 
their  true  feeling  under  an  appearance  of 
the  most  affectionate  humility. 

This  foolish  pride,  prompting  such  a 
ridiculous  assumption  of  superiority,  was 
not  the  worst  evil  which  the  removal  of 
wholesome  restraint  produced  in  the  char 
acter  of  the  poor  boy.  To  pride,  diso 
bedience,  and  idleness  was  added  false 
hood,  the  greatest  and  most  abhorrent  of 
all  faults,  because  it  is  the  fostering  moth 
er  of  all  other  vices.  And  for  the  rapid 
growth  of  all  these  pernicious  propensi- 


THE    HOME    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.  17 

ties  his  tutor  was  greatly  to  blame.  In 
the  false  reports  sent  to  his  mother  lying 
was  taught.  Harry  knew  they  were  not 
true,  and  although  at  first  his  conscience 
reproached  him  when  she  kissed  his  brow, 
praised  his  diligence,  and  called  him  her 
sole  comfort,  that  monitor  soon  became 
silenced.  Sometimes  the  faithful  old 
Walter,  who  was  no  stranger  to  the  gen 
eral  impression  made  by  his  conduct, 
would  expostulate  with  him.  Harry  only 
mocked  at  the  "old  gray-beard,"  and 
turned  his  words  into  ridicule.  Some 
times  the  old  man  would  go  to  Mr.  Arnold, 
and  beg  him  to  control  or  punish  the  boy 
on  the  commission  of  some  outrageous 
prank,  and  tell  him  of  his  father's  last  in 
junction,  but  without  any  better  success. 
Mr.  Arnold  excused  everything  on  ac 
count  of  the  waywardness  of  youth,  and 
contented  himself  with  replying  that  the 
boy  would  see  the  error  of  his  ways  long 
before  he  arrived  at  manhood. 

"  Ah!"  said  Walter,  "with  such  a  be 
ginning  as  you  are  allowing  him  to  make 
he  will  never  see  manhood.  You,  sir,  are 


18  PARSON    HUBERTS    SCHOOL. 

not  doing  your  duty,  and  will  help  on 
with  the  ruin  of  this  boy.  I  will,  how 
ever,  be  faithful  to  my  promise ;  I  will 
make  my  way  to  his  mother  and  tell 
her  all." 

As  these  occasions  became  more  fre 
quent  Mr.  Arnold  was  alarmed.  He  knew 
the  determined  character  of  the  old  farm 
er,  and  perfectly  aware  of  the  estimation 
in  which  he  was  held,  rather  dreaded  the 
effect  of  an  interview  with  Mrs.  Kingsley 
It  was  certain  that  whatever  statement 
Walter  might  make  would  be  believed, 
and  then  what  would  be  the  consequences 
to  himself?  Assuming,  therefore,  as  the 
case  grew  more  urgent,  a  different  man 
ner  from  that  at  first  exhibited,  he  dis 
suaded  the  old  man  from  seeking  the 
invalid,  and  promised  that  in  future  he 
would  exert  a  stricter  rule,  and  punish 
him  in  case  of  actual  transgression. 

With  this  the  farmer  was  obliged  to  be 
contented.  Nevertheless,  only  half  be 
lieving  in  the  promise,  he  from  time  to 
time  endeavored  to  gain  admittance  to 
the  presence  of  Harry's  mother.  This 


THE   HOME   IN   THE   MOUNTAINS.  19 

measure,  however,  lie  could  not  by  any 
means  effect ;  and  if  Mr.  Arnold  did, 
according  to  his  promise,  alter  his  present 
rule  to  one  more  strict,  there  was  no  ap 
parent  change  in  the  conduct  of  his  pupil. 
His  lessons  were  read  over,  not  studied. 
Slight  smatterings  of  various  branches 
were  learned,  and  served  barely  to  cover 
up  the  deficiences  truly  present ;  and  the 
same  wealth  which,  rightly  used,  would 
have  proved  the  greatest  advantage,  was 
likely  to  become  the  worst  evil. 

Mr.  Arnold,  finding  himself  at  perfect 
liberty,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  good 
salary,  used  his  independence  as  one  would 
suppose  such  a  man  would.  He  was  fre 
quently  absent  on  country  rambles  for 
half  days,  sometimes  for  whole,  deeming 
a  couple  of  hours  in  the  forenoon  sufficient 
for  all  the  purposes  of  study. 

But  where  was  Harry  all  this  time? 
Where  did  he  pass  those  priceless  hours 
which  no  after  diligence  can  redeem? 
"  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the 
evening  withhold  riot  thy  hand,"  had 
never  been  taught  to  Harry ;  and  so,  in- 


20  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

stead  of  laying  up  those  stores  of  knowl 
edge  which  afterward  prove  so  useful  in 
the  journey  of  life,  he  passed  his  time  in 
the  stable  with  the  horse-boys,  or  went  off 
to  the  woods  after  nuts  or  to  hunt  birds- 
nests  with  the  very  lowest  of  the  furnace 
lads. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  he  always 
returned  from  these  expeditions  without 
damage.  On  the  contrary,  his  clothes 
not  seldom  were  torn  into  tatters,  his  shoes 
left  behind  in  some  swamp,  and  his  face 
and  hands  scratched  by  the  briars  and 
branches ;  and  worse  than  all,  his  morals 
did  not  escape  unscathed.  This  was  cer 
tainly  much  harder  work  than  sitting  in 
a  pleasant  room  over  a  book ;  but  Harry 
liked  it  and  the  companionship  into  which 
it  brought  him  better,  and  that,  in  his 
opinion,  was  quite  reason  enough  why  he 
should  do  it. 

Sometimes,  indeed,  ready  as  was  his 
invention,  he  was  at  a  loss  how  to  frame 
an  excuse  to  his  mother ;  but  Mrs.  Ean- 
dall,  the  housekeeper,  only  too  much  of 
the  spirit  of  Mr.  Arnold,  would  help  him 


THE    HOME    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.  21 

out  of  the  scrape  by  some  deceptive  means 
which  she,  being  older,  better  understood. 

As  time  rolled  on,  and  he  was  now 
growing  a  large  lad,  it  was  not  hard  to 
calculate  that  at  no  very  distant  period 
he  would  be  master  here.  She  was  quite 
as  well  satisfied  with  her  place  as  was  the 
tutor  with  his;  and  so,  believing  it  was 
her  interest  to  wink  at  his  errors  and  help 
him  out  of  every  scrape,  is  it  to  be  won 
dered  at  that  Harry  soon  took  the  reins 
into  his  own  hands?  He  did  exactly  as 
he  pleased,  and  learned  to  deceive  the 
housekeeper  and  tutor  when  it  suited 
him,  just  as  they  deceived  his  unsuspi 
cious  mother. 

Mr.  Arnold  did  in  truth  love  books, 
and  would  sometimes  insist  that  Harry 
should  be  more  studious,  and  took  some 
pains  to  mark  out  the  lessons  he  should 
get.  One  day,  being  called  to  the  school 
room,  he  told  his  teacher  he  could  not 
come,  that  his  mother  had  sent  for  him. 
and  he  was  to  pass  the  whole  forenoon 
with  her ;  and  being  believed,  was  only 
too  readily  excused. 


22  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

He  went  out,  not  to  find  his  suffering 
mother,  or  to  speak  a  word  of  comfort  to 
her,  but  to  the  stable,  for  he  had  heard 
one  of  the  men  say  they  were  going  to 
exercise  the  horses.  Mrs.  Kingsley  had 
strictly  forbidden  his  riding  on  horse 
back,  except  in  company  with  Walter. 
The  accident  to  her  husband  which  caused 
his  death  made  her  so  nervously  timid  as 
to  amount  to  weakness.  She  could  not 
bear  that  Harry  should  mount  a  horse ; 
he  certainly  would  be  killed  as  his  father 
was  ;  and  therefore  she  made  him  promise 
that  he  never  would  ride  without  her 
permission.  Falsehood  cost  Harry  no 
trouble.  Caring  little  for  anything  but 
that  he  had  outwitted  Mr.  Arnold,  he 
arrived  at  the  stable  just  as  one  of  the 
young  grooms  brought  out  a  saddled 
horse,  which  he  wras  about  to  mount. 

"  Where  are  you  going  to  ride,  Tom  ?" 
asked  Harry. 

"  Old  Rowley  said  I  should  go  down  to 
the  mill-clearing  with  a  message  to  the 
woodcutters,"  was  the  reply. 

"Tom,  just  let  me  get  into  the  saddle 


THE    HOME    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.          23 

for  a  few  minutes  and  ride  round  the 
meadow." 

"  No,  Master  Harry,"  was  the  answer ; 
"  this  horse  is  too  wild.  And  besides,  old 
Rowley  has  forbidden  us  to  let  you  ride. 
He  says  your  mother  charged  him  partic 
ularly,  and  he  will  turn  off  the  first  one  of 
us  that  disobeys." 

"Rowley  is  an  old  fool,  Tom  Hardy, 
and  so  are  you,"  said  Harry  in  an  angry 
tone.  "I  tell  you  I  am  master  here,  and 
I  will  ride.  See  here,  old  fellow,  I'll  give 
you  a  shilling  if  you  will  just  let  me  ride 
round  the  meadow." 

"No,  Master  Harry,  I'm  not  to  be 
bought,"  replied  Tom  firmly.  "  You  cer 
tainly  would  not  wish  me  to  lose  my 
place,  which  I  would  be  sure  to  do  if  I  let 
you  ride ;  and  besides,  Rattler  is  so  wild 
that  it  often  puts  me  to  my  trumps  to 
hold  him." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what,  Tom,"  rejoined 
Harry,  "  you  shan't  lose  your  place,  for  I 
can  do  as  I  please  with  mother.  But  if 
you  are-  so  dreadfully  afraid,  just  help 
me  into  the  saddle  and  hold  Rattler  by 


24  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

the  bridle,  and  lead  him  round  the 
meadow." 

The  honest  fellow  hesitated.  He  hated 
to  disobey,  and  equally  to  disoblige,  and 
not  perceiving  any  great  harm  in  letting 
the  boy  ride  round  the  meadow  on  a  walk 
while  himself  had  the  bridle  in  his  hand, 
he  yielded,  and  placed  his  young  master 
in  the  saddle. 

Rattler  stepped  along  at  first  very 
steadily,  and  the  journey  round  the  field 
might  have  been  performed  successfully 
if  Harry  could  have  kept  his  word  arid 
behaved  as  he  ought.  This  he  could  not 
do.  No  sense  of  honor  toward  the  poor 
lad  wrho,  above  bribery,  had  risked  so 
much  to  oblige  him,  restrained  the  pur 
pose  he  had  in  view  from  the  beginning. 
First  of  all  he  begged  Tom  to  give  the 
bridle  into  his  hands,  urging,  "You  see, 
Tom,  Rattler  is  just  as  quiet  as  a  lamb." 
Next  he  touched  the  horse  on  the  ears 
with  a  little  switch  he  held  in  his  hand. 
The  spirited  animal  became  slightly  im 
patient,  but  Tom  only  held  him  tighter 
and  kept  him  in  check. 


THE    HOME   IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.  25 

They  had  now  nearly  accomplished  the 
round  of  the  meadow,  and  as  Rattler  had 
behaved  very  well,  the  groom  felt  his 
anxiety  to  abate,  although  he  did  not  les 
sen  his  hold  on  the  reins.  No  sooner, 
however,  had  they  reached  the  end  of  the 
course,  where  the  bars,  being  down,  afford 
ed  an  opening  into  the  high  road,  than 
Harry  was  determined  to  perform  a  feat 
by  which  he  should  at  once  prove  himself 
a  skillful  horseman  and  assert  his  inde 
pendence  of  old  Rowley  and  every  one 
else.  Accordingly,  watching  an  oppor 
tunity,  he  struck  Tom  over  the  hand  with 
his  switch,  so  that  in  the  pain  and  surprise 
occasioned  by  the  blow  the  poor  fellow 
lost  his  hold  on  the  bridle,  and  Harry  and 
Rattler  were  alike  free. 


26  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  II.  , 

THE    RIDE    ON   HORSEBACK^ 

THE  horse,  released  from  all  restraint, 
dashed  through  the  opening  into  the  road 
,  which  led  to  the  forest,  and  Harry,  de 
lighted  at  accomplishing  his  purpose, 
shouted  aloud  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy.  .  Poor 
Tom,  in  agony  of  dismay  at  the  conse 
quences  of  his  yielding,  followed  at  a  full 
run,  hoping  to  overtake  Rattler  ere  he 
should  reach  the  wood. 

It  was  not  long  before  Harry  began  to 
find  some  difficulty  in  maintaining  his 
seat ;  yet  nowise  alarmed,  he  pulled  at 
the  reins,  called  aloud  to  the  horse,  and 
at  length,  really  provoked,  struck  him 
with  the  switch.  This  made  matters 
worse;  Rattler  broke  into  a  full  gallop. 
Harry  dropped  the  reins,  and  as  he  was 
-obliged  to  grasp  the  mane  in  order  to 
preserve  his  balance,  his  early  delight  was 
changed  into  terror,  and  forgetting  his  lato 


THE   EIDE   ON    HORSEBACK.  27 

bravery,  lie  screamed  to  Tom  for  help ;  but 
Tom  was  left  far  behind. 

The  danger,  now  increasing  .every  mo 
ment,  was  truly  great  to  the  thoughtless 
rider.  The  road  through  the  forest  was 
very  rough  and  narrow ;  the  branches  of 
the  overhanging  trees,  striking  the  already 
frightened  animal  as  he  flew  beneath  them, 
seemingly  careless  of  his  light  burden, 
increased  both  his  speed  and  terror.  Harry 
screamed  and  wept  alternately,  for  he 
now  expected  every  moment  to  be  dashed 
against  a  tree. 

What  could  save  him  ?  Where  was 
help  to  come  from,  since  no  one  save  Tom 
knew  anything  of  the  circumstance?  But 
the  kind  Providence  that  watches  over  all 
sent  deliverance  in  the  moment  when  the 
danger  was  greatest.  Old  Walter  Rowley 
had  been  hunting  in  the  forest,  and  now, 
on  hearing  cries  of  distress,  came  forward 
with  his  gun  on  his  shoulder.  In  a  mo 
ment  he  was  aware  of  the  state  of  the 
case,  and  throwing  down  his  game-bag 
and  gun,  stepped  resolutely  into  the  patli 
directly  in  front  of  the  horse.  Seizing  the 


28  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

bridle  with  a  strong  hand,  he  arrested  the 
course  of  the  foaming  animal.*  Although 
he  reared  upon  his  hind  feet  and  dragged 
the  old  man  some  steps  forward,  still 
Walter  maintained  his  hold  on  the  bridle, 
although  he  received  several  blows  on  his 
breast  from  Rattler's  hoofs. 

"And  what,"  asks  the  reader,  "became 
of  Master  Harry  ?" 

He  slipped  quietly  down  from  Rattler's 
back,  and  alighted  on  the  soft  bed  of 
grass  and  leaves  with  which  the  earth 
was  overspread,  happily  without  injury  to 
his  bones,  which  were  unbroken,  and  his 
body,  which  escaped  being  bruised.  An 
ugly  scratch  which  he  received  on  his 
face  from  the  rough  bark  of  an  oak  was 
the  only  trophy  of  this  headlong  adven 
ture,  and  gave  him  more  uneasiness  than 
would  a  severer  wound  elsewhere,  since, 
unfortunately  for  him,  it  could  not  be 
hidden,  and  might  prove  a  tell-tale. 

Tom  Hardy  soon  came  up,  and  taking 
the    bridle    from    the    half  fainting    old 
farmer,  who  could  not  speak  a  word  of 
0  See  Frontispiece. 


THE    RIDE    ON    HORSEBACK.  29 

reproof  or  otherwise,  tied  him  fast  to  a 
tree,  and  finding  Harry  so  little  hurt,  left 
him  to  himself  and  assisted  Walter  to  his 
home,  which  was  close  by. 

During  his  absence  Harry  had  full  time 
for  reflection.  The  pain  from  his  slight 
flesh-wound  was  not  sufficiently  acute  to 
demand  much  attention,  and  was  a  very 
trifling  punishment  for  the  self-willed  act 
which  had  so  nearly  cost  the  life  of  the 
faithful  Rowley.  He  wept  with  real  sor 
row  when  he  thought  of  what  the  conse 
quences  of  his  self-willed  act  might 
have  been ;  and  when  he  reflected 
how  greatly  his  mother  would  grieve 
when  she  should  hear  of  the  transaction, 
his  grief  was  for  the  moment  deep  and 
sincere.  With  all  his  falsehood  and  dis 
obedience  he  really  loved  his  mother, 
and  now  the  knowledge  of  how  much 
she  would  suffer,  caused  him  more 
mental  pain  than  he  had  ever  yet  expe 
rienced. 

When  Tom  returned  he  offered  him  all 
his  pocket  money  if  he  would  not  tell 
any  one  of  the  affair,  and  promised  also 


30  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

that  he  would  never  again  tease  the  sta 
ble  boys  to  let  him  ride. 

"No,  Master  Harry,"  answered  the  lad, 
"  keep  your  money ;  I  am  a  poor  man's 
son,  but  I  am  not  to  be  bought.  This 
affair  may  cost  me  my  place,  for  may  be 
old  Walter  will  have  me  turned  off.  I 
won't  tell  it  for  your  mother's  sake ;  but 
if  they  ask  anything  about  it  I'll  tell  the 
truth. 

While  yet  speaking  he  mounted  the 
still  panting  horse,  and  rode  him  round 
the  fields  until  he  was  calm,  and  then 
proceeded  to  execute  the  business  which 
had  been  so  greatly  interrupted  by  the 
self-willed  Harry. 

The  young  gentleman  left  thus  to  him 
self  had  time  to  think;  but  his  medita 
tions  were  by  no  means  pleasing ;  he  was 
indeed  greatly  mortified  at  the  issue  of 
his  adventure;  but  instead  of  mentally 
resolving  to  profit  by  the  experience  so 
dearly  bought,  he  began  to  study  an  ex 
cuse  for  the  scratch  on  his  face.  It  is  to 
be  wished  that  we  could  tell  the  reader 
that  he  resolved  to  pursue  the  most  he- 


THE   RIDE   ON    HORSEBACK.  31 

roic  course,  which  would  have  been  to  go 
boldly  forward  and  tell  his  mother  the 
whole  truth,  and  save  poor  Tom,  who, 
although  poor  and  ignorant,  had  proved 
himself  possessed  of  more  principle  than 
the  heir  of  this  vast  estate.  But  false 
hood  had  become  so  habitual  that,  al 
though  to  speak  the  truth  would,  in  this 
case,  be  easier  than  to  frame  a  lie,  he  yet 
preferred  taking  the  latter  course. 

Having  studied  the  part  he  should  act, 
he  returned  home  by  a  side  path  which 
led  across  the  fields,  and  entering  the 
house  by  a  back  door  crept  sneakingly  to 
his  own  room. 

Falsehood  is  always  cowardly.  Harry, 
although  he  could  invent  the  specious 
tale  which  was  to  deceive,  could  not 
boldly  face  those  to  whom  it  was  to  be 
told.  Tom,  on  the  other  hand,  went 
straight  to  Walter  Rowley,  confessed  the 
whole  affair,  and  threw  himself  upon  his 
mercy,  and  having  ever  borne  a  good  char 
acter,  was  believed  and  kept  in  his  place. 

The  old  farmer  was  greatly  wounded 
both  in  mind  and  body.  He  knew  a  great 


32  PARSON  HUBP:RT'S  SCHOOL. 

deal  of  Harry's  character,  and  his  love 
for  and  promise  to  his  late  employer 
prompted  him  to  force  his  way  into  the 
presence  of  the  invalid  mother,  and  entreat 
her  to  take  some  summary  step  toward  the 
reformation  of  her  son.  This,  however, 
was  at  this  time  impossible;  the  injury 
received  from  the  blows  of  Rattler's 
hoofs  was  great,  and  confined  him  for 
several  days  to  his  bed ;  but  aided  by 
temperate  habits  his  iron  constitution  pre 
vailed,  so  that  he  soon  recovered  so  far 
from  his  injuries  as  to  resume  his  usual 
duties,  and  never  breathed  a  word  of  the 
affair  to  any  one. 

The  reader  might  readily  suppose  that 
Harry  would  have  gone  to  see,  and  at 
least  thank  him  for  the  important  service 
he  had  performed.  Not  so,  however. 
Walter,  with  Torn's  assistance,  had  left  the 
place  long  before  Harry  had  recovered 
from  his  fright,  and  afterward,  when  he 
did  think  of  it,  he  comforted  himself  by 
saying,  ;cThe  old  fellow  gets  well  paid  for 
all  he  does,  and  he  did  no  more  than  he 
ought  to  do  ;  he  has  always  got  his  living 


THE   RIDE    ON    HORSEBACK.  33 

through  our  family,  and  it  is  no  more 
than  right  that  he  should  serve  me." 

For  a  day  or  two,  as  his  mother  was 
more  than  usually  ill,  he  was  able  to 
keep  out  of  her  room  ;  but  this  not  con 
tinuing  long,  he  would  be  obliged  to  ex 
plain  the  cause  of  the  ugly  sore  scratch 
on  his  face.  As  several  days  passed  over 
and  Walter  did  not  come  near  the  house, 
(for  he  lived  at  some  distance,)  and  being 
assured  that  Tom  had  kept  his  promise 
and  told  no  one,  Harry  began  to  feel 
quite  easy,  and  the  only  trouble  he  now 
had  was  to  invent  a  suitable  pretext  to 
deceive  his  unsuspecting  mother. 

Mr.  Arnold  had  received  permission  to 
have  a  gymnasium  erected  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  garden,  where  he  assisted  and 
instructed  him  in  performing  those  feats 
of  agility  considered  useful  in  training 
the  muscular  system.  It  was  of  simple 
construction,  and  at  first  Harry  was 
greatly  delighted  with  the  exercise ;  he 
hated  books  and  lessons,  but  to  climb  the 
ladder,  hang  upon  the  cross  bars,  or  swing 
upon  the  hook  he  could  not  sufficiently 


34:  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

practice  while  it  was  new.  Without 
steadiness,  and  indulged  in  every  new 
whim,  he  was  tired  of  everything;  and 
although  quite  carried  away  by  the  nov 
elty  of  this  amusement  for  a  week  or  so, 
he  soon  began  to  complain  that  it  tired 
him.  "  It  cost  too  much  exertion,"  he 
said ;  "  if  he  must  learn  to  climb  there 
were  trees  enough  in  the  woods ;  the  rope 
scratched  his  hands,  his  head  swam  if  he 
went  to  the  top  of  the  ladder,  and  to  clear 
the  ditch  with  a  leaping  pole  hurt  his 
breast ;  he  wished  the  old  thing  had 
never  been  thought  of.  Dr.  Martin  and 
Mr.  Arnold  might  use  it  if  they  pleased, 
as  they  had  invented  it;  but  for  his  part 
he  wished  somebody  would  cut  it  down." 

In  his  facility  for  ready  invention,  he 
determined  to  make  the  wound  an  his 
face  the  useful  agent  for  the  removal  of 
the  hated  gymnasium,  and  therefore  on 
the  first  day  of  his  admittance  to  his 
mother's  room  he  was  ready  to  utter  the 
falsehood  boldly. 

"Why,  Harry!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Kings- 
Icy,  "where  have  you  been,  or  what  have 


THE    RIDE    ON    HORSEBACK.  35 

you  been  doing  to 'get  such  a  dreadful 
wound  on  your  face  ?  you  will  certainly 
be  killed  yet." 

"  O  this  is  nothing !  do  not  be  alarmed, 
dear  mother,"  replied  Harry  in  a  tone  of 
indifference.  "  I  have — you  know  Dr. 
Martin  says  I  must  exercise — to  practice 
my  gymnastics  every  morning.  The  day 
before  yesterday,  when  I  had  climbed  to 
the  topmost  round  of  the  ladder  I  got 
giddy  and  fell  down  ;  that  is,  however, 
nothing,  for  Mr.  Arnold  says  that  every 
one  has  to  get  a  few  falls  and  bruises  be 
fore  he  can  become  expert." 

This  was  enough  to  cause  great  anxiety 
to  the  poor  mother  ;  her  diseased  imagin 
ation  magnified  every  possibility  into 
actual  reality  ;  she  was  perfectly  certain 
that  Harry  would  be  killed  in  some  of 
those  neckbreaking  exploits,-  for  he  had 
taken  especial  care  not  to  let  her  know 
that  he  had  never, practiced  the  simplest 
gymnastic  feat  without  Mr.  Arnold's 
assistance. 

She  sent  for  Mr.  Arnold ;  he  was  out, 
so  she  was  forced  to  spend  a  sleepless 


36  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

night,  and  watched  impatiently  for  the 
morning,  when  she  could  tell  the  tutor 
to  have  the  gymnasium  taken  down, 
as  she  was  sure  Harry  would  break  his 
neck. 

"  Let  me  assure  you,  madam,"  was  the 
answer,  "  there  is  not  the  slightest  danger ; 
but  in  order  to  save  you  any  unnecessary 
anxiety,  I  will  obey  your  wishes  at  once." 
"  All  the  better  for  me,"  he  added,  laugh 
ing,  after  he  closed  the  door ;  "  I  shall 
have  more  time  to  myself;"  and  after 
having  given  the  order  to  a  workman,  he 
took  up  his  fishing-rod  and  went  off  with 
a  friend  to  the  brook. 

Harry  was  perfectly  delighted  with  his 
success.  He  felt  that  he  had  achieved  a 
great  exploit  in  cunning,  and  watched  the 
taking  down  of  the  whole  structure  with 
the  greatest 'glee.  Such  was  now  the  evil 
course  pursued  by  this  poor  boy,  who,  from 
once  being  a  great  favorite,  was  cordially 
disliked  by  every  one  who  knew  him.  He 
had  no  friend  except  his  mother,  but  for 
this  he  did  not  care ;  and  full  of  self- 
esteem,  and  believing  himself  very^clever, 


THE   BIDE    ON   HORSEBACK.  37 

he  assumed  a  tone  of  authority  and  bore 
himself  haughtily  toward  all. 

Mrs.  Randal,  the  housekeeper,  who  had 
great  influence  with  Mrs.  Kingsley,  was 
the  only  one  who  did  not  speak  against 
him.  No  more  his  friend  than  were  the 
others,  she  yet  pretended  to  treat  him 
with  great  favor  ;  for  she  knew  if  he  ever 
complained  of  any  one  to  his  mother  he 
was  readily  believed,  and  as  her  sway 
was  as  absolute  in  the  household  as  if  the 
whole  had  been  her  own,  she  sacrificed 
to  her  own  interest,  and  made  him  be 
lieve  she  was  all  she  seemed. 


38  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 


CHAPTEE  III. 

THE     PET     DEER, 

As  months  passed  by  and  Harry  grew 
older,  he  became  more  and  more  imperi 
ous;  the  servants  and  workmen's  boys 
were  obliged  to  render  him  the  most  sub 
missive  obedience,  since  there  was  no  re 
dress.  True,  they  complained  to  Mr.  "Ar 
nold,  who,  although  he  sometimes  admon 
ished  him,  would  declare  to  the  complain- 
ers  that  he  could  do  nothing  with  him,  as 
his  mother  would  not  allow  him  to  be 
punished  ;  and  also  to  old  Walter,  who, 
becoming  more  uneasy  as  new  causes  of 
complaint  met  his  ear,  made  every  effort 
to  see  Mrs.  Kingsley,  which  Mrs.  Kandal, 
who  did  not  like  him,  was  careful  to 
prevent. 

Constantly  in  need  of  some  new  play 
things,  no  sooner  was  Harry  rid  of  the 
obnoxious  gymnasium,  than  he  gathered 
np  a  number  of  dogs  ;  but  he  that  cannot 


TEIE    PKT    DKKR.  39 

treat  his  brethren  of  the  human  race  well 
will  not  be  kind  to  animals,  so  he  soon 
tired  of  the  dogs  and  they  of  him  ;  if  they 
saw  him  coming  they  would  run  away, 
and  therefore  after  a  few  weeks'  trial  they 
were  given  up. 

It  was  by  no  means  uncommon  in  those 
forest  regions  for  the  huntsmen  to  take 
young  fawns  and  tame  them.  One  of 
these  beautiful  creatures  had  been  brought 
to  Rushton  Iron  Works  some  months  be 
fore  and  shown  to  Mrs.  Kingsley,  who 
seemed  to  take  more  interest  in  it  than 
she  had  evinced  for  anything  since  her 
affliction.  She  could  not,  however,  her 
self  attend  to  it,  but  as  it  became  a  gene 
ral  pet,  it  received  ample  care  ;  every  one 
caressed  the  gentle  little  animal.  It 
grew  and  thrived,  became  perfectly  tame, 
following  those  it  knew  like  a  dog.  Harry 
was  at  once  ready  to  claim  the  ownership, 
and  begged  that  Jacky  should  be  given 
to  him  as  his  exclusive  possession ;  and 
having  gained  his  mother's  consent,  his 
first  act  was  to  forbid  any  one's  meddling 
with  his  property.  But,  as  usual,  his  un- 


40  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

kindness  made  the  gentle  creature  shun 
him  ;  and  although  our  spoiled  boy  took 
great  delight  in  witnessing  Jacky's 
graceful  gambols,  and  would  play  for 
hours  in  the  orchard  with  him,  still  he 
treated  him  at  times  very  cruelly;  and  an 
imals  soon  learn  who  are  or  are  not  their 
friends.  In  order  to  adorn  the  neck  of 
this  his  latest  favorite,  more,  however, 
from  pride  than  affection,  Harry  had  pur 
chased  a  handsome  collar  ;  but,  like  other 
wearers  of  costly  ornaments,  the  poor  an 
imal  soon  found  his  happiness  was  by  no 
means  increased  by  the  new  possession. 
Therefore,  when  Jacky  found  the  sport 
rougher  than  he  liked,  he  would  break 
away  from  his  young  master's  hold,  run 
to  a  safe  distance  and  then  stand  and 
look  back  as  triumphantly  as  if  he  had 
achieved  a  conquest.  The  collar,  how 
ever,  gave  the  young  tyrant  a  great  ad 
vantage,  as  he  could  by  it  drag  Jacky 
where  he  pleased.  One  day  Harry,  al 
though  by  no  means  in  a  sunny  humor, 
went  out  into  the  orchard  in  search  of 
something  new,  and  was  not  sorry  to  find 


THE    PET    DEER.  41 

his  pet  companion  there.  The  weather 
having  been  bad  for  a  week  or  more, 
Jacky  seemed  on  this  morning  particu 
larly  to  enjoy  his  liberty  ;  and  bounding 
about  in  the  exuberance  of  delight,  he  re 
fused  to  obey  the  call  of  his  young  master, 
and  turning  his  full  dark  eyes  upon  him 
seemed  almost  to  say,  "  Catch  me  if  you 
can."  Chasing  after  the  animal  for  some 
time,  and  finding  that  he  paid  no  atten 
tion  to  his  call  of  "  Jack,  come  here, 
Jack,"  the  wayward  lad  at  length  grew 
very  angry,  and  seizing  the  fallen  branch 
of  a  tree,  advanced  threateningly  toward 
him.  The  animal  understood  the  mean 
ing  of  the  movement ;  he  knew  well 
what  was  in  store  for  him  if  caught,  and 
flying  toward  an  opening  in  the  fence 
where  the  bars  happened  to  be  let  down, 
passed  right  into  the  garden,  which  lay  next 
the  orchard.  Finding  himself  still  pursu 
ed,  and  becoming  more  and  more  fright 
ened,  he  dashed  over  flowers  and  vegeta 
bles,  making  terrible  havoc,  and  finally 
stopped  in  the  middle  of  a  large  strawberry 
bed,  where  the  fruit  was  just  ripening. 


42  PARSON  HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  rage  of 
Harry  at  this  juncture  ;  he  called  to  the 
gardener's  boy,  who  was  at  work  close 
by,  and  with  his  help  Jacky  was  soon 
captured. 

"  I'll  pay  him  well  for  not  minding  me," 
exclaimed  Harry,  as  he  beat  him  with  a 
fishing-rod  which  he  found  placed  against 
a  tree. 

"Do  not  beat  the  poor  thing;  he  did 
not  know  any  better,"  said  the  gardener's 
boy.  "  What  would  you  expect  from  a 
dumb  brute  that  cannot  understand  a 
word  ?  I'm  mighty  sorry  for  the  straw 
berries,  though.  Mrs.  Randal,  won't  she 
scold  !  I  wouldn't  like  to  catch  it.  O 
Master  Harry,  don't  beat  Jacky  so  hard 
on  the  head  ;  you'll  kill  him,  you  will." 

"  Do  you  keep  quiet ;  I  don't  want  any 
advice  from  you.  I'll  teach  him  to  obey," 
was  the  answer,  and  taking  the  still  resist 
ing  deer  by  the  collar,  he  partly  led? 
partly  dragged  him  into  a  little  stable 
used  only  for  storing  fodder.  It  was  now 
nearly  empty,  but  the  rack  was  still  there 
and  contained  a  little  hay  and  oats,  just 


THE    PET   DEEK.  43 

about  enough  to  tempt  a  hungry  animal. 
Finding  a  rope,  he  tied  poor  Jacky  fast 
to  a  post  not  far  from  the  manger,  and  left 
him  as  he  said  in  punishment. 

This  conduct,  alike  cruel  and  thought 
less,  was  productive  of  sad  effects.  The 
deer,  left  for  a  longer  time  than  usual  with 
out  food,,  (for  Harry  had  gone  off  after 
something  else  and  forgot  him,)  and  find 
ing  some  oats  on  the  floor,  endeavored  to 
reach  them  ;  but  not  being  able,  for  the 
halter  was  too  short,  in  the  effort  had 
twisted  the  rope  about  his  neck,  and  was 
strangled.  It  was  almost  evening  when 
Harry,  remembering  his  favorite,  went 
to  release  him  ;  but  what  was  his  conster 
nation  to  find  his  late  playfellow  lying 
dead  on  the  floor.  In  great  distress  and 
self  reproach,  he  wept  most  bitterly  over 
his  Jacky,  for  he  was  indeed  fond  of  him  ; 
he  was  so  gentle  and  came  every  morning 
at  his  call  to  be  fed  by  his  hand  ;  and  now 
his  cruelty  had  killed  him. 

What  should  he  do?  Every  one  would 
blame  him,  and  Sam  Stokes,  the  garden 
er's  boy,  knew  all  about  the  affair  and 


44  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

would  tell.  Falsehood  in  this  case  would 
not  avail,  that  was  plain  ;  and  so  he  resolv 
ed  to  go  at  once  to  Mr.  Arnold  and  tell 
the  whole  truth. 

His  regret  was  truly  sincere  ;  and,  as 
with  many  tears  he  confessed  his  offense 
to  his  tutor,  he  did  not  attempt  to  palliate 
a  single  circumstance,  but  for  once  in  his 
life  declared  his  conduct  admitted  of  no 
excuse. 

"  What  will  your  mother  say,  Harry  ?" 
asked  Mr.  Arnold  ;  "  Jacky  was  the  only 
thing  but  yourself  that  she  ever  inquired 
after  ;  and  now  who  will  like  to  tell  her 
that  the  beautiful  little  fawn  is  dead, 
killed  by  your  cruelty?  Harry,  no  one 
dare  tell  her  but  yourself." 

"  O  I  cannot !  I  cannot !"  exclaimed 
Harry  with  renewed  weeping,  "  only 
do  not  tell  her  this  time,  and  I  will  change 
my  whole  course.  O  if  you  knew  how 
sorry  I  am ;  I  would  give  anything  if  I 
could  bring  Jacky  to  life  again  ;  I  shall 
miss  him  so  much  for  I  loved  him  so 
dearly,"  and  he  continued  to  weep  most 
bitterly. 


THE    PET   DEER.  45 

"You  see,"  admonished  Mr.  Arnold, 
"  the  necessity  of  considering  the  conse 
quences  of  an  act  before  you  perform  it. 
Your  favorite  only  pursued  his  natural 
propensity  for  play  ;  was  altogether  uncon 
scious  of  the  mischief  which,  forced  by 
you,  he  was  doing ;  and  for  this  you  pun 
ished  him  with  a  cruelty  far  exceeding  the 
offense,  and  which  has  killed  him.  Still, 
as  you  promise  better  conduct  for  the  fu 
ture,  I  will  not  tell  your  mother  this  time, 
but  be  careful  how  you  transgress  again." 

Great  was  the  surprise  and -regret  occa 
sioned  by  Jacky's  singular  death ;  all 
wondered  how  he  had  got  into  the  stable, 
or  what  made  him  die ;  for  Harry  had 
taken  the  rope  from  his  neck  before  any 
one  saw  him.  Sam  Stokes,  however, 
gave  some  hints  of  what  had  occurred  to 
the  servants,  and  they  guessed  the  truth. 
The  young  heir's  cruelty  and  ill  temper 
were  much  commented  upon  in  the  do 
mestic  conclaves  which  assembled  around 
the  kitchen  fire  ;  and  the  conclusion  was, 
that  without  a  change  he  would  come 
to  no  good.  Mrs.  Kingsley  herself  was 


46  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

the  only  one  of  the  whole  family  who 
had  no  suspicion  of  the  cause  of  Jacky's 
death. 

On  this  occasion  we  must  confess  that 
Mr.  Arnold  fulfilled  his  duty  to  his  pupil ; 
finding  him  in  a  more  subdued  mood  than 
he  had  ever  known  him  heretofore,  he 
warned  him  of  what  would  be  the  conse 
quences  of  indulging  his  fierce  temper, 
how  such  acts  of  cruelty  would  lessen 
him  in  the  eyes  of  those  over  whom  he 
would  one  day  be  placed,  rendering  him 
an  object  of  dread  to  his  inferiors  and 
hatred  to  his  equals. 

Harry  listened  to  the  reproof  very  sub 
missively,  and  for  a  time  his  conduct 
underwent  a  visible  change  ;  the  affair, 
although  much  commented  on  by  the 
family,  was  carefully  concealed  from  Mrs. 
Kingsley ;  but  as  the  recollection  of  poor 
Jacky's  sad  fate  faded  from  the  memories 
of  the  cruel  boy  and  the  sympathizing 
servants,  everything  gradually  resumed 
its  old  course.  Mr.  Arnold  relaxed  his 
vigilance  and  pursued  his  accustomed 
pleasures,  idled  his  time  away  in  fishing, 


THE    PET   DEER.  47 

or  rambles  with  the  neighboring  school 
master,  and  his  hopeful  pupil,  now  relieved 
of  all  apprehension,  turned  once  more 
into  the  unsafe  path  which  for  a  time  he 
had  left. 

He  had  seldom  met  old  Walter  since 
the  horse  affair ;  nobody  mentioned 
Jacky  in  his  presence  ;  the  warning  of 
his  teacher  had  no  longer  a  place  in  his 
memory  ;  new  acts  of  disobedience,  new 
deceptions,  tricks,  and  falsehoods  were 
constantly  practiced,  and  although  many 
prophesied  the  ruin  of  the  wayward  boy, 
not  one  could  be  found  who  would  venture 
into  Mrs.  Kingsley's  presence  and  arouse 
her  to  a  discharge  of  her  duty. 

Mr.  Arnold  had  often  expostulated  with 
Harry  on  the  impropriety  of  his  associa 
tions,  and  forbidden  all  companionship 
with  the  stable  and  collier  boys,  and  he 
was  in  a  measure  obliged  to  obey.  It 
was,  however,  but  the  seeming  of  obedi 
ence  ;  for  no  sooner  was  the  teacher's  back 
turned,  (and  we  have  spoken  of  his  fre-  % 
quent  absences,)  than  the  lad  was  off, 
either  to  the  stables  or  the  coal-pits,  where 


48  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

he  would  go  birdnesting  with  the  collier- 
boys.  How  greatly  he  enjoyed  this  cruel 
sport,  robbing  nest  after  nest,  caring  little 
for  the  anxiety  of  the  old  birds,  and  ex 
ulting  in  the  paltry  spoil  he  obtained  in 
the  possession  of  a  few  spotted  eggs. 

There  was  a  lad  in  the  employ  of  Wal 
ter  Rowley  of  whose  company  Harry  was 
particularly  fond.  Barney  Quin  was  an 
honest,  good-natured  Jfellow,  and  much 
liked  by  old  Walter  and  every  one  else; 
but  as  his  yielding  temper  peculiarly  un 
fitted  him  for  companionship  with  the 
wayward  heir,  all  intercourse  had  been 
forbidden  both  by  Mr.  Arnold  and  the 
farmer.  Barney  was  by  no  means  sorry 
at  the  prohibition.  He  knew  he  was  no 
match  in  cunning  for  Harry ;  and  as  he 
could  not  resist  his  entreaties  or  com 
mands  to  do  thus  and  so,  he  had  often  got 
into  trouble,  and  Rowley  had  at  length 
declared  that  he  should  be  discharged  for 
the  first  complaint  urged  against  their 
intercourse  or  joint  offense. 

The  simple-hearted  boy  promised  obe 
dience,  and  determined  to  keep  his  word. 


THE   PET   DEEK.  49 

Harry  well  knew  of  the  interdict,  and  was 
equally  resolved  to  do  as  he  pleased,  and 
make  Barney  obey  his  bidding. 

We  have  said  game  was  very  abundant 
in  that  wooded  region,  and  Barney  was 
often  sent  out  to  snare  rabbits  or  shoot 
birds,  and  thus  became  quite  an  expert 
huntsman.  Very  often  when  he  was  set 
ting  his  snares  Harry  would  join  him,  and 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  sport  both  would 
forget  alike  the  promise  and  the  prohibi 
tion.  All  went  on  for  a  time  without  any 
trouble ;  but  disobedience  is  sure  to  bring 
its  own  fruit,  and  in  this  case  it  was  most 
bitter. 

One  day  (it  was  in  the  beginning  of 
summer,  just  before  harvest)  Harry,  in 
stead  of  being  at  his  studies,  was  roaming 
about  the  fields,  and  saw  Barney  going  to 
the  woods.  He  had  a  gun  on  his  shoulder, 
and  a  gamebag  by  his  side ;  and  although 
the  young  heir  knew  that  he  had  a  Latin 
lesson  to  get,  and  his  tutor  had  threatened 
punishment  if  he  did  not  know  it,  he  de 
cided  at  once  on  accompanying  him.  He 
had  his  book  in  his  hand,  pretending  to 


50  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

study  as  he  walked ;  but  now  he  joined 
Barney,  and  declared  his  intention  of  going 
with  him. 

"An'  sure,"  said  Barney,  "  an'  by  your 
lave  you  can't,  Master  Harry.  Ould 
Eowley  would  take  the  ears  off  me  if  I 
tuk  ye  alongst.  An'  it's  only  blackbirds 
I  be  going  to  shoot,  because  they  are  bad 
on  the  corn." 

"  I  tell  you,  Barney,  I'm  going,"  replied 
Harry  ;  "  what  harm  can  there  be  if  I  just 
sit  down  on  a  stump  and  look  at  you  firing 
among  the  black  flock  ?  Do,  Barney,  be 
good,  and  let  me  go  this  once ;  I  won't 
ask  you  again  for  ever  so  long." 

"Och,  an'  it's  yerself  knows  how  to 
coax  everything  out  o'  me,"  said  Barney, 
beginning  to  yield  ;  "  but  ould  Walter  bid 
me  shoot  a  rabbit  if  I  found  one,  and  ye 
always  make  sich  a  noise,  Master  Harry, 
that  ye'll  scare  everything  away." 

"  No,  Barney,"  urged  Harry,  "  indeed 
I  won't ;  I'll  keep  as  quiet  as  a  mouse.  It 
will  be  rare  fun  to  fire  in  among  the 
blackbirds ;  won't  they  fly  like  everything 
when  the  shot  rattles  in  among  them !" 


THE   PET   DEER.  51 

"  I  reckon,"  was  Barney's  laconic  answer, 
for  he  was  by  no  means  pleased  to  have 
Harry  with  him,  and  he  dreaded  that  they 
might  meet  Walter ;  but  he  was  one  of 
those  good-natured  fellows  who  cannot 
muster  up  courage  to  say  "  no,"  although 
convinced  that  the  utterance  of  that  im 
portant  monosyllable  is  often  of  vast  im 
portance. 

They  walked  on  in  silence  for  a  little 
way.  Barney,  being  by  no  means  inclined 
to  talk,  listened  in  silence  to  Harry's  won 
dering  if  Mr.  Longears,  as  he  called  the 
rabbit,  would  really  come  out  and  suffer 

himself  to  be  shot. 

4 


52  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    CEOWS    1STEST. 

WE  have  said  that  Barney  was  on  this 
occasion  quite  averse  to  the  companion 
ship  of  his  young  master,  and  therefore, 
when  any  questions  were  asked  him,  his 
replies  were  extremely  laconic. 

"Is  your  gun  loaded,  Barney?"  asked 
Harry. 

"  Sure  an'  it  is.  D'ye  take  me  for  a  fool, 
to  travel  in  the  fields  to  shoot  blackbirds 
widout  a  load  in  the  gun  ?"  was  the  answer. 

"  I  hope  there  will  be  plenty  to  shoot," 
rejoined  Harry ;  "I  mean  rabbits,  for 
blackbirds  are  always  plenty." 

"  May  be,"  said  Barney,  and  he  walked 
along  very  fast,  hoping  to  tire  the  young 
gentleman. 

"  I  aint  a  bit  afraid  of  a  loaded  gun," 
continued  Harry  ;  "  and  if  it  is  too  heavy 
for  you,  Barney,  I  will  carry  it  part  of 
the  way." 


THE   CROW'S   NEST.  53 

"  Indeed  ye  won't,"  answered  Barney  ; 
"  not  a  bit  will  I  give  it  to  ye.  I'd  sooner 
give  one  finger  of  my  left  hand  to  be  cut 
off  than  let  a  boy  like  ye  carry  a  loaded 
gun,  so  ye  need  not  ask  it,  Master  Harry ; 
ye  can't  come  that  over  me,  any  how." 

When  Harry  made  the  proposition  it 
was  more  on  account  of  wishing  to  say 
something  than  of  having  any  real  inten 
tion  of  carrying  the  gun.  Barney  was, 
in  his  estimation,  nothing  better  than  a 
beast  of  burden,  whom,  no  matter  how 
much  he  had  been  oppressed,  he  would 
never  have  thought  it  his  place  to 
relieve ;  but  now,  somewhat  angry  at  this 
unexpected  denial  and  firm  refusal  of  the 
hitherto  gentle  and  yielding  Irish  lad,  and 
determined  to  frighten  as  well  as  provoke 
him,  he  began  to  plan  how  he  should 
possess  himself  of  the  gun.  Barney  should 
find  that  his  wishes  were  to  be  regarded 
as  a  law,  and  although  he  knew  quite 
well  what  Walter  had  threatened  if  the 
lad  disobeyed  his  injunction  of  keeping 
by  himself,  and  he  was  more  than  a  little 
afraid  of  a  loaded  gun,  besides  being  alto- 


54:  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

gether  insincere  in  his  proposal  of  cany- 
ing  the  gun,  which  he  would  only  have 
done  for  a  few  steps,  he  was  now  deter 
mined  to  do  as  he  pleased,  and  let  his 
companion  see  he  would  not  be  refused. 

He  was  mean  enough  to  beg :  "  Barney, 
just  let  me  carry  the  gun  one  minute." 

"Indeed  I  will  not,"  again  reiterated 
Barney ;  "  it's  no  use  to  ask,  for  I  won't 
let  you  have  it." 

"  But  I  will  have  it,"  was  Harry's  men 
tal  resolve ;  but  now  assured  that  he  could 
not  accomplish  his  purpose  either  by  force 
or  entreaty,  he  began  to  consider  by  what 
trick  he  could  ensnare  poor  Barney  and 
get  possession  of  the  gun. 

"  You  need  not  make  such  a  fuss  about 
carrying  an  old  gun,"  said  he  in  a  tone  of 
indifference;  "you  think  yourself  a  great 
man  because  you  can  shoot  blackbirds ; 
still  I  don't  think  there  is  much  fun  in 
carrying  a  heavy  gun.  I  think,  after  all, 
you  were  right  to  refuse,  for  I  am  sure  it 
would  have  bruised  my  shoulder.  When 
I  grow  up,  Barney,  and  am  my  own  mas 
ter,  I  intend  to  hunt  a  great  deal,  and  you 


THE    CKOW'S    NEST.  55 

shall  always  carry  my  gun.  But  you 
shall  not  wear  such  shabby  clothes ;  I  will 
pay  you  so  well  that  you  can  dress  like 
any  gentleman.  But  what  is  that  up 
there  in  that  pine?  aint  it  a  crow's  nest?" 

uYes,  indeed,"  said  Barney;  "it  is  a 
crow's  nest,  but  I  think  there  is  nothing 
in  it." 

"  O  I  have  always  wanted  a  crow  to 
pet,"  rejoined  Harry ;  "  they  are  such 
funny  things." 

"  Sure,  then,  it's  great  thieves  they  are, 
and  be's  always  stealing,"  was  Barney's 
answer.  "Ye'll  get  tired  enough  of 
them." 

"  Well,  get  me  the  nest  if  it  is  empty," 
cried  Harry.  "I  have  two  doves  in  a 
cage,  and  I  will  put  it  in  for  them.  But 
then  it  hangs  so  high ;  I  do  not  believe 
any  one  could  climb  to  that  limb." 

"Pooh!  that's  nothing,"  said  Barney; 
"  I  can  climb  there  easily,  and  will  get  it 
for  you  if  you  want  it." 

"No,  no,  Barney,  you  might  fall  and 
break  an  arm  or  limb,  and  then  I  should 
be  so  sorry,"  was  Harry's  rejoinder. 


56  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"And  besides,  Barney,  you  don't  look  as 
if  you  could  climb." 

'"  Can't  I?"  asked  Barney;  "  an'  sure 
it's  myself  that  can  do  that  same,  and  I'll 
bring  the  nest." 

The  pride  of  the  simple-hearted  lad  was 
now  aroused,  and  it  was  a  point  of  honor 
to  prove  his  skill  as  a  climber  and  bring 
away  the  nest.  He  forgot  old  Walter's 
threatening,  his  own  promise,  his  late 
resolution;  and  somewhat  dazzled  by  the 
prospect  of  promotion  when  Harry  should 
be  of  age,  he  determined  to  get  the  nest, 
even  if  it  had  been  on  the  very  top  of  the 
church  steeple,  whereas  it  was  at  a  height 
on  the  limb  which  was  by  no  means 
dangerous. 

Throwing  off  his  tattered  jacket  he  laid 
it  on  the  earth,  placed  the  gun  on  the  top 
of  it,  and  as  quick  as  possible  began  to 
ascend  the  tree,  his  steady  gaze  still  di 
rected  toward  the  nest.  Ah !  it  hangs 
very  high  ;  the  branch  is  harder  to  reach 
than  Barney  at  first  supposed,  and  when 
he  had  ascended  half  way  he  was  obliged 
to  stop  and  rest.  It  was  but  for  a  mo- 


THE   CROW'S   NEST.  57 

ment,  and  proceeding  upward  he  was  soon 
so  deeply  buried  in  the  green  branches 
that  he  neither  heard  nor  saw  anything  of 
Harry,  who  was  left  standing  below. 

This  was  just  what  the  tricksy  youth 
expected  and  wished.  He  stole  quietly 
to  the  spot  where  the  unsuspicious  Barney 
had  left  the  gun,  raised  it  very  carefully 
to  his  shoulder,  and  smiled  with  inward 
delight  at  the  prospect  of  the  poor 
climber's  dismay  when  he  should  find 
out  how  nicely  he  had  been  outwitted. 
He  had  his  speech  already  framed  ;  when 
at  a  convenient  distance  he  would  cry 
out:  "  Aha,  Mr.  Barney,  I  have  the  gun 
in  spite  of  you.  You  said  you  would 
rather  lose  your  finger  than  give  it  to  me 
for  a  moment ;  I  told  you  I  would  have 
the  gun  and  my  own  will.  Come,  now, 
and  get  it,  for  I  have  done  with  it  since  I 
have  showed  you  that  I  know  how  to  have 
my  own  way." 

But  as  the  schemes  of  the  wicked  and 
designing  are  often  frustrated  just  at  the 
moment  they  seem  to  be  accomplished,  so 
Master  Harry  failed  of  his  mark.  A  little 


58  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

rosy-cheeked,  bare-footed  boy  came  out 
from  a  little  sunny  spot  which,  cleared  of 
heavy  wood,  lay  on  one  side  of  the  forest, 
and  Harry,  attracted  by  the  presence 
of  the  new  comer,  forgot  the  gun,  nest, 
Barney,  and  even  the  speech  by  which, 
when  spoken,  he  expected  to  enjoy  the 
consternation  of  his  good-natured  com 
panion. 


THE   MILLER'S   BOY.  59 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   MILLER'S    BOY. 

THE  little  galopin  who  now  advanced 
upon  the  scene  had  nothing  in  his  appear 
ance  to  attract  the  notice  of  a  boy  like 
Harry.  His  clothes  were  coarse  and 
common;  a  straw  hat,  with  a  piece  of 
red  woolen  tape  for  a  band,  adorned  his 
head,  and  from  his  truly  rustic  exterior  he 
might  have  formed  a  study  for  a  painter. 

The  young  heir,  however,  had  no  eye 
for  the  picturesque ;  but  he  had  for  some 
thing  the  boy  was  carrying,  namely,  a 
large  earthen  dish  full  of  ripe  strawber 
ries,  which  he  had  just  gathered  in  the 
little  close,  where  the  sun  was  now  shining 
brightly.  Harry  was  somewhat  heated 
by  his  walk  and  carrying  the  gun,  and  he 
at  once  thought  how  refreshing  would  be 
these  strawberries,  they  were  so  ripe  and 
inviting,  so  he  called  out  in  the  tone  ol 
command  habitual  to  him :  "  Ho,  there. 


60  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

you  fellow,  what  will  you  take  for  your 
strawberries  ?" 

The  boy  looked  as  if  he  did  not  under 
stand  him. 

"I  say,"  cried  Harry  again,  "what  will 
you  sell  your  strawberries  for  ?  I'll  buy 
them  of  you,"  and  he  put  his  hand  in  his 
pocket  and  began  to  rattle  some  money. 

"I  won't  sell  them  at  all,"  answered 
the  rosy-cheeked  boy ;  "  they  are  for  my 
sister,  who  is  sick  with  the  measles.  But 
I'll  give  you  a  handful,"  and  pulling  a 
few  green  leaves,  he  pinned  them  together 
by  their  stems  so  as  to  form  a  kind  of  dish, 
and  filled  it  with  the  fruit  and  offered  it 
to  our  self-willed  friend. 

Harry  turned  away  indignantly.  "  Don't 
you  know  that  all  the  ground  and  woods 
here  belong  to  my  mother  ?  And  those 
berries  belong  to  her  also.  I  can  take  the 
whole  dish  from  you  if  I  please,  for  you 
have  no  right  to  gather  them  on  our 
ground.  But  I  am  willing  to  buy  them  ; 
say,  what  will  you  take  ?  I  have  not 
time  to  stand  here  talking  to  a  country 
booby." 


THE    MILLER'S    BOY.  61 

Harry  was  really  angry,  and  expected 
to  frighten  the  little  rustic ;  he  was  so 
used  to  practicing  this  behavior  and  suc 
ceeding  in  it  that  he  had  no  idea  of  further 
refusal  on  the  part  of  the  boy.  What, 
however,  was  his  astonishment  to  find  that 
instead  of  obeying,  the  little  fellow  stood 
eyeing  him  almost  contemptuously  as  he 
returned  the  disdained  berries  to  the  dish, 
and  said  mockingly :  "  Your  mother's 
land,  indeed !  that  close  belongs  to  my 
father,  as  well  as  the  mill-pond  meadow. 
I  never  gathered  a  strawberry  in  your 
woods ;  and  since  you  are  too  proud  to 
take  what  I  offered  to  give  you,  you 
shan't  have  any  unless  you  gather  them 
for  yourself." 

Harry  was  now  very  angry.  "You 
dumb  blockhead !"  he  cried,  "  I  will  have 
the  dish  with  the  strawberries.  That 
ground  doesn't  belong  to  your  father ;  so 
give  me  the  berries  or  I  will  take  them 
from  you." 

"Try  it!"  said  the  boy  coolly;  "you 
think  I  am  afraid  of  you  because  you  are 
carrying  a  gun,  and  think  yourself  so 


62  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

rich.  My  father  is  rich  enough  too  if  he 
don't  dress  us  so  fine  as  you  are  ;  but  you 
are  not  going  to  get  my  berries,"  and  as 
he  spoke  he  turned  into  a  side  path  which 
led  toward  his  home. 

"  Aint  you  afraid  I'll  shoot  you?"  asked 
Harry,  although  he  had  not  the  slightest 
intention  of  using  the  gun,  which,  indeed, 
he  would  not  have  known  how  to  fire  off. 

"  Not  I,"  said  the  boy ;  "  you  know 
better  than  to  do  that." 

At  this  moment  Barney  made  his  ap 
pearance  with  the  empty  nest  in  his  hand. 
He  had  not  till  this  time  observed  that 
Harry  had  inarched  off  with  the  gun. 
He  turned  to  show  him  the  prize,  but  the 
poor  lad's  consternation  can  hardly  be 
described  when  he  heard  the  noise  of 
quarreling,  and  saw  Harry  walking 
about  with  the  gun  on  his  shoulder. 
"Harry!  Master  Harry!"  he  cried  out, 
"  you'll  ruin  me  !  please  lay  down  the 
gun." 

The  wayward  boy,  in  his  strife  about 
the  strawberries,  had  entirely  forgotteu 
Barney  and  the  crow's  nest;  but  at  the 


THE    MILLER'S    BOY.  63 

sound  of  his  voice  he  turned  and  saw  the 
lad  coming  toward  him. 

"  I'll  put  it  down,  Barney,  just  where 
I  got  it;  don't  take  it  from  me;"  but  as 
he  quickened  his  pace  considerably,  in  or 
der  to  avoid  having  it  taken  from  him,  he 
stumbled  over  a  root  and  fell.  The  gun 
went  off,  a  thick  cloud  of  smoke  prevent 
ed  any  object  from  being  seen.  Barney 
uttered  a  cry  of  terror,  and  hastened  to  the 
spot  where  Harry  had  fallen.  He  found 
him  terribly  frightened,  his  face  black 
ened  with  powder,  but  entirely  unhurt. 

A  little  further  on,  extended  at  full 
length  on  the  ground,  was  the  miller's 
boy ;  the  earthen  dish  lay  beside  him 
broken  ;  he  was  sobbing,  but  not  loudly, 
and  a  small  stream  of  blood  which  was 
trickling  from  his  leg  down  over  his  na 
ked  foot  on  to  the  grass  showed  that  he 
was  wounded 

Two  steps  brought  Barney  to  his  side ; 
he  bent  over  the  moaning  boy  and  tried 
to  raise  him;  but  he  could  not  stand. 
"  Bill,"  said  Barney,  "  do  stand  up,  there's  a 
good  boy ;  sure  ye  can  stand  if  ye'll  but  try  P; 


64:  PAESON    HUBKliT'S    SCHOOL. 

"I  have  tried,  Barney,  but  I  can't," 
answered  Bill.  "  O  if  father  would  only 
come  and  carry  me  home,  for  I  can't 
jvalk." 

Harry  was  frightened,  but  at  first  only 
for  himself.  Finding  himself  unhurt  and 
deserted  by  Barney,  he  advanced  toward 
the  spot  where  Bill  was.  Barney  had 
placed  him  against  the  trunk  of  a  tree, 
and  was  doing  everything  he  knew  of  to 
stop  the  flowing  blood.  He  gazed  upon 
the  wounded  foot  with  horror,  and  sitting 
down  beside  little  Bill  he  burst  into  tears, 
less  from  compassion,  although  he  pitied 
the  boy,  than  from  remorse  for  the  act  of 
self-will  which  was  likely  to  have  such  a 
sorrowful  ending.  Bill  Allen  might  die  ; 
poor  Barney  would  certainly  lose  his 
place ;  his  mother — how  would  she  bear 
the  tidings  of  her  son's  conduct?  for  it 
could  not  be  concealed  from  her;  and 
then  Bill's  father,  the  miller,  everybody 
who  came  to  the  mill  would  hear  of  it, 
and  what  would  everybody  think  of  him  ? 
He  wept  as  he  had  never  wept  before  in 
all  his  life,  and  felt  at  the  moment  that 


THE   MILLER'S    BOY.  65 

he  would  cheerfully  change  places  with 
the  wounded  hoy. 

Bill  tried  hard  not  to  cry,  although  he 
was  in  great  pain  ;  he  believed  Harry 
was  about  to  take  his  strawberries,  which 
lay  spilled  on  the  ground,  and  turning  to 
Barney  he  begged  him  to  take  care  of 
them  and  pick  them  up.  .  "  Lizzie  is  so 
sick,  and  wants  them  badly  ;"  and  turning 
to  Harry,  added,  "  and  you  shan't  have 
one  if  you  want  them  ever  so  much." 

"  Bill,"  said  Harry,  in  a  subdued  voice, 
"  I  don't  want  them ;  I  couldn't  eat  one. 
Let  Barney  gather  them  up  for  your  sick 
sister.  But  tell  me,  does  your  foot  pain 
you  much,  and  are  you  very  angry  with 
me?  O  Bill,  I  am  so  sorry;  I  never 
thought  the  gun  would  go  off  so  by  it 
self,"  and  he  burst  into  a  renewed  fit  of 
weeping. 

The  little  rustic,  seeing  how  much 
Harry  felt,  looked  in  his  face  as  if  he 
wished  to  comfort  him.  "  Don't  fret, 
Master  Harry;  you  didn't  want  to  do  it, 
and  I  reckon  it  won't  be  very  much." 

He  spoke  the  last  words  slowly,  for  his 


66  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

head  began  to  swim,  strange  noises  like 
the  rushing  of  waves  sounded  in  his  ears, 
his  rosy  cheeks  turned  white  as  the  blos 
soms  of  the  sloe-thorn  in  the  spring, 
darkness  overspread  his  senses,  and  he 
sank  fainting  on  the  earth.  Barney,  ter 
rified  almost  beyond  thought,  raised  him 
in  his  arms  and  carried  him  to  the  mill 
where  he  gave  him  into  the  care  of  his 
parents. 

"  It's  only  a  faint,"  said  Barney;  "he'll 
come  round  after  a  bit;  there  was  not 
much  in  the  gun  but  powder,  so  don't  be 
too  much  skeered,"  and  the  good-natured 
lad  went  back  to  gather  up  the  strawber 
ries  for  the  sick  girl  because  "poor  Bill 
bid  him  do  so." 

He  found  Harry  wandering  round  in 
the  greatest  distress.  "  Barney,"  he  cried, 
"  I  have  ruined  you ;  Bill  will  die,  and 
my  dear  mother — what  will  she  say  ?  I 
am  most  unhappy." 

"  Sure,  then,  Master  Harry,  you  need 
not  trouble  about  me,"  answered  Barney. 
"  Ould  Walter  will  sind  me  off,  sure 
enough,  for  I'll  tell  him  the  truth ;  but  I 


THE    MILLER'S    BOY.  67 

reckon  I  can  get  a  place  somewhere 
among  the  farmers.  Master  Harry,  you 
shouldn't  have  served  me  so ;  but  I'll 
never  lie,  and  so  I'm  just  off  to  ould  Row 
ley,"  and  as  he  spoke  he  resumed  his  old 
jacket  and  game  bag,  shouldered  the 
gun,  and  taking  the  road  which  led  to  the 
farmer's  house,  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

Harry  was  now  left  alone.  He  had 
never  in  all  his  life  been  so  miserable ; 
but,  alas!  he  was  suffering  more  on  ac 
count  of  the  consequences  of  his  sin  than 
the  sin  itself.  Had  not  the  gun  gone  off 
and  hurt  the  boy  he  would  have  cared 
little  that  he  had  deceived  Barney  by  a 
lie,  imposed  on  his  good-nature,  and  be 
haved  so  haughtily  to  little  Bill. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  before  he 
returned  home;  his  eyes  were  swelled 
with  weeping,  his  face  black  with  pow 
der,  his  hair  hanging  in  tangles  round 
his  head ;  he  did  not  look  at  all  like  the 
neat  boy  who  had  gone  forth  a  few  hours 
before. 

Yet  his  heart  was  comparatively  light 
ened  of  its  burden.  He  had  wandered  in 
5 


68  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

the  neighborhood  of  the  mill,  had  seen 
Bill  Allen's  father  go  to  the  neighboring 
town  and  bring  Dr.  Martin,  and,  all  im 
patient,  he  waited  close  by  the  house  at  a 
turn  of  the  road  to  meet  and  ask  after 
the  wounded  boy.  The  busy  clack  of  the 
mill  was  hushed  ;  the  rushing  of  the  wa 
ter  as  it  fell  over  the  dam,  and  the  un 
wonted  silence  of  the  place  had  some 
thing  so  melancholy  about  it  it  seemed 
deathlike,  and  increased  the  pungency 
of  his  feelings.  His  heart  beat  loudly  ; 
what  was  he  to  hear  when  Dr.  Martin 
should  come  along?  Ah,  great  was  his 
anxiety  caused  by  the  consequences  of 
his  sin  ! 

He  watched  the  door ;  he  saw  the  doc 
tor,  accompanied  by  the  miller,  come  out, 
and  from  his  hiding-place  heard  the 
words  which  were  most  likely  the  answer 
to  some  question  :  "  Make  yourself  easy, 
friend  Allen  ;  the  boy  will  do  well,  al 
though  he  must  suffer  some  pain  and 
have  some  fever.  There  is  not  the  least 
danger  of  his  dying  or  being  lame.  It  is 
well  it  is  no  worse,  for  if  it  had  been 


THE   MILLER'S    BOY.  69 

little  higher  up,  or  in  the  knee,  it  would 
have  made  him  a  cripple  for  life." 

As  Harry,  \vith  every  faculty  sharpened 
by  anxiety,  heard  the  words  distinctly, 
there  was  no  need  of  meeting  with  Dr. 
Martin,  who  would  likely  have  given  him 
a  lecture ;  he  felt  as  if  a  heavy  load  had 
been  removed  from  his  breast,  and  he 
flew  rather  than  walked  back  to  his  home, 
from  whence  he  had  been  absent  many 
hours. 

He  found  his  tutor  and  the  rest  of  the 
family  in  great  anxiety  concerning  his 
non-appearance.  The  supper  bell  had 
long  since  rung  to  call  stragglers  to  their 
evening  meal,  but  the  heir  of  the  house 
was  not  among  the  number  who  came. 
Mr.  Arnold  was  uneasy,  and  had  just 
dispatched  some  of  the  servants  to  look 
after  him  ;  they  went  to  every  place  where . 
he  was  likely  to  be  found,  except  to  the 
mill,  and  were  returning  from  an  unsuc 
cessful  pursuit,  when  they  overtook  him 
on  the  bridge  which  led  from  the  wood  to 
Hush  ton  Furnace.  Pale,  with  swollen 
eyes  and  disordered  hair,  they  wondered 


70  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

and  inquired  what  was  the  matter ;  but 
to  every  question  of  where  he  had  been 
so  long,  or  what  had  happened  to  make 
him  look  as  he  did,  he  coldly  answered 
he  was  tired  and  hungry.  This  was  the 
truth,  for  he  had  left  home  after  an  early 
dinner,  and  boys  do  not  love  long  fasting. 
Mr.  Arnold  suspected  he  had  been  in 
some  new  mischief;  but  as  he  could  not 
gain  any  other  information  than  what 
Master  Harry  chose  to  give,  namely,  that 
of  being  "  half  starved,"  he  bade  him  eat 
his  supper  and  troubled  himself  no  further. 

Having  satisfied  the  cravings  of  his 
stomach,  his  aching  limbs  admonished 
him  of  the  need  of  rest.  Gladly  would  he 
have  sought  his  bed,  and  at  another  time 
would  have  done  so  ;  but  now,  in  his  soft 
ened  mood,  and  more  humbled  than  he 
had  ever  been  in  his  life,  he  conquered 
his  selfishness  and  resolved,  weary  as  he 
was,  to  go  to  his  mother's  room  and  bid 
her  good-night. 

She  had  for  some  time  been  growing 
better ;  indeed,  Dr.  Martin  said  that  if  she 
would  exert  herself  to  some  active  un- 


THE    MILLER'S    BOY.  71 

dertaking  she  would  soon  be  altogether 
well ;  and  so  when  Harry  knocked  at 
her  chamber  door  he  found  ready  admit 
tance. 

Conscious  of  his  own  bad  conduct,  and 
fully  humbled  as  he  believed  he  was,  no 
thought  of  confessing  to  any  one  ever 
entered  his  head.  The  terrible  apprehen 
sion  which  at  first  filled  his  mind  being 
now  laid  to  rest,  he  believed  all  would  go 
on  quietly,  as  in  the  case  of  the  pet  deer. 
Still,  we  cannot  say  that  the  unusually 
soft  and  gentle  manner  in  which  he 
greeted  and  returned  the  caresses  of  his 
mother  were  insincere  ;  most  likely  he 
just  then  felt  that  she  was  the  only  real 
friend  he  had  in  the  world,  for,  throwing 
his  arms  around  her  neck,  he  whispered : 
"  My  dear,  dear  mother,  I  will  never  give 
you  any  trouble,  but  try  to  be  everything 
you  wish." 

"  You  do  everything,  my  dear  Harry, 
that  you  can  to  please  me,"  she  answered 
as  she  smoothed  his  rumpled  hair  with 
her  pale  hand :  "  I  have  no  cause  to  com 
plain  of  you,  I  am  sure ;  Mr.  Arnold  sends 


72  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

me  the  best  reports  of  your  progress  in 
your  studies  and  conduct." 

A  deep  blush  of  shame,  on  meeting 
with  praises  he  knew  were  so  undeserved, 
increased  the  hue  of  his  already  heated 
face ;  his  heart  throbbed  with  the  most 
painful  emotion ;  he  longed  to  unburden 
the  secret  which  pressed  so  hardly  upon 
it,  and  was  about  to  confess  the  whole, 
when  the  housekeeper  made  her  appear 
ance  and  announced  that  George  Allen, 
the  miller,  was  below,  and  wished  to  see 
Mrs.  Kingsley  on  very  particular  busi 
ness. 

Harry  on  hearing  these  words  almost 
fainted  from  excess  of  terror,  and  his  face, 
from  being  of  a  deep  red,  became  deathly 
pale.  His  mother  remarked  the  sudden 
change,  and  as  the  former  unwonted  ex 
citement  of  his  whole  system  had  not 
escaped  her  observance,  she  concluded 
he  must  be  very  ill.  Maternal  solicitude 
for  this,  the  only  treasure  left  her  of  her 
once  large  family,  overcame  every  other 
feeling.  "Tell  the  miller  to  go  to  Walter 
and  transact  any  business  he  has  with 


THE    MILLER'S    BOY.  73 

him,"  said  Mrs.  Kingsley;  "I  wonder 
that  he  comes  to  me,  as  he  knows  I  am 
always  satisfied  with  what  Walter  does ; 
and,  Randall,  send  George  for  Doctor 
Martin ;  I  am  sure  Harry  has  a  fever." 

"  No,  mother,"  cried  Harry,  "  I  have  no 
fever ;  don't  send  George  Allen  away  ;  I 
know  and  will  tell  you  all  about  it.  His 
son  Bill  provoked  me  dreadfully,  arid  in 
deed  he  is  not  a  bad  boy.  I  begged  him 
to  sell  me  some  strawberries  he  gathered 
in  our  woods.  He  said  the  mill-pond 
meadow  and  the  clove  was  his  father's, 
and — and  then — " 

"  Yes,  that's  it,"  said  Mrs.  Randall ;  "  I 
expect  the  miller  has  found  it  all  out,  and 
is  coming  to  excuse  his  son's  insolence. 
And  now  I  remember  he  said  the  busi 
ness  he  had  with  Mrs.  Kingsley  was 
something  about  his  Bill  and  Master 
Harry.  But  I  can  settle  all  that  without 
troubling  you,  madam." 

"  Don't  be  angry,  mother,"  begged 
Harry,  scarcely  able  to  breathe.  "  I  can 
not  bear  that  you  should  be  vexed." 

Poor  Mrs.  Kingsley,  who  had  been  very 


74:  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

far  from  comprehending  the  true  state  of 
the  case  from  Harry's  disjointed  confes 
sion,  imagined  that  her  son,  although 
greatly  insulted  by  Bill  Allen,  was  now 
interceding  for  indulgence  toward  him, 
and  pleased  with  the  benevolent  spirit  he 
manifested,  kissed  him  again  and  again, 
calling  him  her  good  son.  At  first  Harry 
felt  that  he  would  rather  have  borne  stern 
reproof  than  undeserved  praise ;  but,  and 
we  are  loth  to  say  it,  he  at  length  began 
to  consider  the  affair  a  very  trifling  mat 
ter,  and  Bill  much  more  blameable  than 
himself.  Such  cases  of  self-love  are  very 
common. 

"  Indeed,  madam,"  said  the  house 
keeper,  "I  think  it  was  real  impudent  in 
Bill  Allen  to  talk  that  way  to  Master 
Harry.  Why  could  he  not  sell  the  ber 
ries  ?  He  could  easily  have  gathered 
more." 

She  did  not  say  it  would  have  been 
quite  as  easy  for  the  young  heir  to  have 
gathered  berries  for  himself  as  for  Bill 
Allen  to  have  done  so,  and  Mrs.  Kings- 
ley  never  thought  her  son  could  do  wrong. 


THE   MILLER'S    BOY.  75 

We  cannot  tell  the  reader  what  argu 
ments  Mrs.  Randall  used  with  the  miller. 
He  went  away  without  seeing  Mrs.  Kings- 
ley,  and  Harry,  on  inquiring  what  he 
said,  was  answered  :  "  Do  not  be  uneasy 
about  it ;  I  have  settled  it  all  nicely,  and 
your  mother  need  never  know  a  word 
about  it,  so  go  to  bed  now,  for  you  look 
tired." 

Harry,  thus  fully  comforted,  and,  as  he 
thought,  with  the  whole  affair  amicably 
settled,  retired  to  rest  rather  than  to 
sleep.  Conscience,  whose  reproaches  no 
one  can  fully  silence,  is  a  great  retributive 
agent,  and  sent  in  great  mercy  to  prevent 
human  beings  from  growing  callous,  now 
asserted  her  right  to  be  heard.  Notwith 
standing  that  his  fears  were  allayed  by 
the  representations  of  the  housekeeper, 
and  the  declaration  of  Dr.  Martin,  which 
he  had  overheard,  his  slumbers  were 
broken  and  uneasy.  He  dreamed  over 
the  exciting  occurrences  of  the  day  ;  the 
shot,  the  low-moaning  of  the  wounded 
boy,  the  quiet  reproach  of  poor  Barney, 
who  he  knew  would  lose  his  place,  all 


76  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

these  came  forward  in  phases  of  vivid 
brightness  and  with  magnified  force.  He 
tossed  uneasily  from  side  to  side ;  his 
luxurious  pillow  was  as  one  of  thorns ; 
and  again  and  again,  as  the  pictures 
changed  and  showed  deeper  shadows,  he 
resolved  to  conquer  his  tendency  to  false 
hood,  arrogance,  and  self-will,  seeing  how 
greatly  he  and  others  had  suffered  from 
the  exercise  of  those  evil  propensities. 

But  these  compunctious  feelings  were 
of  short  duration  ;  by  the  next  morning 
all  was  forgotten,  the  sun  arose  bright  and 
beautiful,  the  woods  were  filled  with 
melody,  and  he  heard  that  one  of  the 
clerks  was  going  to  the  mountain  clear 
ings  to  count  the  ranks  of  felled  wood. 
His  uncle  had,  shortly  before  this,  made 
him  a  present  of  a  quiet  pony,  which 
he  was  permitted  to  ride  whenever  he 
pleased.  He  asked  his  mother's  permis 
sion  to  go  with  Mr.  -  — ;  this  being 
granted,  he  set  forth  gayly,  and  the  late 
painful  consequences  of  his  self-will  were 
entirely  forgotten. 


OLD    WALTER'S    VISIT.  77 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OLD    WALTER'S    VISIT. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  and  during 
Harry's  absence  In  the  clearings,  the 
affair  had  been  made  quite  public,  and 
the  miller,  finding  no  admission  to  Mrs. 
Kingsley's  presence,  forced  his  way  to 
Mr.  Arnold,  and  told  him  of  the  whole 
occurrence  :  "  I'll  tell  you  what,  sir."  said 
he  ;  "  that  boy  is  considered  the  pest  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  if  you  do  not  take  him 
in  hand  somebody  else  will,  for,  even  if 
he  is  so  rich,  we  are  not  going  to  let  him 
carry  on  this  way.  Everybody  knows 
that  my  Bill  is  a  good  boy,  and  never 
harms  any  one ;  and  then  poor  Barney 
Quin,  that  has  to  help  his  mother,  has 
lost  his  place  with  old  Rowley,  just  be 
cause  he  obliged  Master  Harry,  instead 
of  driving  him  off  as  he  ought  to  have 
done." 

Mr.  Arnold  was  more  troubled  than  he 


78  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

had  ever  before  been  on. Harry's  account. 
He  felt  himself  somewhat  answerable,  for 
if  he  had  been  discharging  his  duty  to  his 
pupil  as  he  ought  it  could  not  have  hap 
pened,  and  therefore  he  determined  to 
chastise  him  as  he  deserved.  But  when 
he  began  the  preliminary  reproof,  he  was 
surprised  to  find  himself  met  with  inso 
lence. 

"I  wish  you  would  try  a  stick  on  me," 
retorted  the  boy  boldly.  "I  told  my 
mother  all  about  it.  The  miller  was  here  on 
the  same  evening  it  happened.  I  don't 
see  why  there  need  be  any  more  fuss,  as 
mother  has  forgiven  me  and  says  she 
don't  want  to  hear  another  word  about  it. 
If  you  don't  believe  me  you  can  ask  her 
or  Mrs.  Eandall ;  but  I  tell  you  you  had 
better  not  try  chastisement  on  me." 

Harry  knew  well  that  no  questions 
would  be  asked  of  his  mother,  and  that 
the  housekeeper  might  be  depended  on ; 
she  would  tell  no  tales  which  would  re 
dound  to  Harry's  discredit,  neither  for  his 
own  sake  or  that  of  Mrs.  Kingley  So 
the  affair,  although  much  talked  of,  went 


OLD    WALTER'S    VISIT.  79 

unpunished  ;  and  it  is  hard  to  tell  where 
the  evil  would  have  stopped  had  not  one 
true  friend,  caring  less  for  self-interest 
than  the  love  of  truth  and  right,  come 
forward  to  the  rescue. 

Viewing  the  occurrence  in  the  serious 
light  it  deserved,  and  as  no  one  seemed 
to  have  the  courage  to  tell  Mrs.  Kingsley 
of  Harry's  flagrant  conduct,  Walter  Row 
ley,  remembering  the  promise  made  to 
the  dying  father,  resolved  to  undertake 
the  arduous  duty  himself.  For  this  pur 
pose  he  one  evening  made  his  appearance 
at  the  "  great  house,"  as  they  called  it, 
and  boldly  demanded  to  be  admitted  to 
Mrs.  Kingsley's  presence,  as  his  business 
was  of  the  highest  importance,  and  could 
not  be  communicated  to  any  one  but  herself. 

The  message  was  carried  to  the  house 
keeper.  Wondering  what  his  errand  was, 
she  tried  in  vain  to  find  out  what  could 
have  happened.  She  dared  not  ask,  for 
she  was  rather  afraid  of  the  stern  old  man, 
who  she  knew  would  not  submit  to  be 
trifled  with.  Had  she  suspected  it  was 
about  the  affair  concerning  the  miller's 


80  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

boy,  she  would  have  used  every  effort  to 
prevent  the  interview ;  for  when  she 
heard  it  spoken  of,  she  always  insisted 
it  was  nonsense  to  make  such  a  fuss  as 
had  been  made  about  such  a  little  thing 
as  an  accidental  wound  in  the  leg.  Not 
being  able,  therefore,  to  get  anything  out 
of  old  Walter,  she  thought  it  best  to 
admit  him  to  her  mistress's  presence,  for 
in  that  way  only  could  her  curiosity  be 
gratified,  and  so  she  showed  him  in  the 
sick  chamber  herself. 

It  was  a  long,  long  time  since  Rowley 
had  seen  Mrs.  Kingsley,  and,  not  prepared 
for  the  change  in  her  whole  appearance, 
he  was  greatly  shocked.  He  had  heard  she 
was  recovering.  This  was  true ;  but  as 
he  saw  her  sitting  in  an  arm-chair,  so  pale, 
and  seemingly  so  weak,  and  recalled  the 
thought  of  the  sad  occurrence  which  had 
robbed  her  of  her  health  and  bloom,  he 
felt  ready  to  give  up  his  purpose.  How 
could  he  add  to  her  affliction?  how  tell 
her  the  tidings  so  calculated  to  wound 
her,  and  which  she  ought  to  know — the 
conduct  of  her  only  son  ? 


OLD    WALTER'S    VISIT.  81 

Tears  of  emotion  filled  his  eyes,  and  nt 
first  he  could  not  find  words  wherewith  to 
begin  his  narration.  But  the  promise 
given  to  the  dying  father,  whom  he  had 
loved  as  a  son ;  whom,  when  a  child,  he 
had  often  nursed  on  his  knees,  and  never 
believed  he  could  have  outlived,  all  came 
up  vividly  before  his  memory,  and  manned 
him  for  his  duty. 

Mrs.  Kingsley  saw  how  much  he  felt, 
and  scarcely  less  moved,  reached  him  her 
hand,  and  bade  him  be  seated.  "  You 
have  always  proved  yourself  a  true  friend 
of  our  family,  Walter ;  why  is  it  that  you 
have  never,  since  that  sad  day,  come  to  see 
me  ?  Speak  your  wishes ;  whatever  they 
may  be  they  shall  be  granted,  for  you 
never  ask  anything  unreasonable." 

"  My  good  lady,"  replied  Walter,  sud 
denly  restored  to  himself,  "my. affection 
for  the  Kingsley  family  is  unchangeable. 
You  know  how  that  when  a  boy  I  came 
with  them  from  my  own  country,  and 
have  never  left  their  service  for  a  single 
day.  But  I  have  not  come  to  ask  any 
favor  for  myself;  I  have  all  I  want,  thanks 


82  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

to  your  kindness.  I  am  a  plain,  blunt 
old  man,  and  I  will  tell  you  plainly 
what  I  came  for.  It  concerns  Master 
Harry." 

"  What !  what !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Kings- 
ley,  starting  from  her  chair;  "I  know 
Harry  went  to  ride  ;  has  anything  hap 
pened  to  my  son  ?  Speak ;  tell  me  the 
worst  quickly." 

"  Do  not  be  uneasy,  madam,"  said 
Walter  quietly  ;  "  Master  Harry  has  met 
with  no  bodily  harm.  But,  (I  am  sorry 
to  pain  you,)  he  has  for  some  time  been 
going  astray,  treading  on  a  path  from 
which  only  a  very  strong  hand  can  turn 
him.  Out  of  false  tenderness,  those  around 
him  have  concealed  his  errors  from  you, 
glossed  them  over  as  of  small  account, 
although  they  have  talked  hardly  of  him 
behind  his  back.  It  is  not  yet,  however, 
too  late  to  remedy  the  evil.  And- now,  if 
I  may  advise,  which  in  all  humility  I  do, 
if  you,  dear  madam,  would  attend  a  little 
more  to  see  how  he  is  being  instructed — I 
am  a  poor  and  uneducated  man,  but  as  I 
understand  things,  it  would  help  you 


OLD   WALTER'S   VISIT.  83 

greatly  to  forget  jour  trouble  for  Master 
William's  death — if  you — " 

"  Walter,"  interrupted  the  invalid  moth 
er,  "  I  can  bear  a  great  deal  from  you  on 
William's  account,  for  I  know  how  well 
he  esteemed  you ;  but  the  heart  of  a 
mother  is  a  tender  thing,  and  I  think  you 
might  have  spared  me  this  trial.  Are 
you  riot  too  stern,  and  do  you  not  judge 
too  harshly  of  my  poor  boy  ?" 

Walter,  touched  to  the  heart  by  this 
appeal,  had  no  answer  just  ready;  but 
moved  by  a  sudden  impulse,  and  rising 
from  his  chair,  he  unbuttoned  his  woolen 
blouse,  opened  the  bosom  of  his  shirt,  arid 
exposed  to  the  eye  of  the  astonished 
mother  several  red  and  seemingly  fresh 
scars  which  marked  his  breast.  "  I  hard 
and  harsh  toward  any  of  the  Kingsley 
family?"  he  asked.  "I  have  lived  by 
their  favor  all  my  life,  and  how  much  I 
am  devoted  to  their  interests  these  scars 
are  witness.  I  received  the  wounds  that 
left  them  on  my  breast  the  day  when 
Master  Harry  deceived  Sam  Stokes  into 
letting  him  ride  Eattler.  The  horse  ran 
6 


84  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

away  with  him  into  the  forest,  and  he 
would  have  been  killed  if  I  had  not  placed 
myself  in  the  way  and  relieved  him.  You 
may  remember  the  scratch  on  his  face. 
I  am  ashamed,"  he  added,  "ashamed  in 
deed  of  saying  anything  like  boasting  of 
a  good  deed,  but  I  could  not  bear  your 
reproof,  which  was  undeserved,  since  on 
that  occasion  I  placed  my  life  in  danger." 

"What?"  inquired  Mrs.  Kingsley,  al 
most  breathless;  "did  Harry  mount  that 
wild  horse  when  I  had  so  expressly  for 
bidden  him?  And  you,  Walter,  saved 
his  life  at  the  risk  of  your  own  ?  You 
will  be  rewarded,  Walter,  both  here  and 
hereafter.  I  remember  the  scratch,  but 
Harry  told  me  he  hurt  his  face  in  prac 
ticing  gymnastics  on  the  bars  of  the 
ladder,  and  I  ordered  it  to  be  taken 
down.  Has  he  really  told  me  such  a 
downright  falsehood?"  and  the  thought 
seemed  entirely  to  overcome  her. 

"There  is  no  need  for  alarm  now,"  said 
Walter.  "  We  ought  to  be  very  thankful 
that  it  had  no  worse  ending."  He  was 
sorry  he  had  shown  his  scars  or  told  the 


OLD    WALTER'S   VISIT.  85 

circumstance,  since  it  affected  her  so 
much ;  and  lie  was  greatly  astonished  to 
find  that  she  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
whole  occurrence.  He  saw,  however,  that 
she  had  been  imposed  upon  by  great 
falsehoods,  and  now,  more  than  ever  con 
vinced  of  what  was  the  right  course,  was 
determined  to  proceed  faithfully  with  the 
painful  duty  he  had  commenced,  although 
he  was  at  a  loss  for  words  to  begin  with. 
It  took  him  some  time  to  consider. 

Mrs.  Kingsley  was  however  the  first  to 
speak.  Laying  her  pale  hand  on  the 
brawny  arm  of  the  old  farmer,  she  bade 
him  tell  her  the  worst.  "  Speak  openly, 
Walter,"  said  she ;  "  tell  the  deceived 
mother  the  truth  ;  the  physician  wounds 
that  he  may  heal,  and  I  thank  you  from 
my  very  heart  that  one  has  been  found 
faithful  enough  to  tell  me  of  my  boy's 
errors  while  there  is  yet  time  to  cure  him." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  pain  you,  but  I  will  tell 
you  the  plain  truth,"  replied  Walter,  and 
accordingly  he  gave  a  full,  but  unvarnished 
statement  of  all  that  we  have  related. 
He  showed  her  how  ruinous  was  the  indul- 


86  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

gence  which  had  allowed  Harry  to  pursue 
his  late  course  unpunished,  how  his  self- 
will  had  increased  and  brought  falsehood, 
that  hateful  vice,  in  its  train,  and  what 
serious  consequences,  save  for  the  inter 
vention  of  a  kind  Providence,  might  have 
ensued  from  his  tyranny  which  caused  the 
quarrel  with  the  miller's  boy  in  the  wood. 

He  spoke  of  poor  Barney  also,  and  de 
clared  how  much  grieved  he  was  to  be 
obliged  to  discharge  him.  He  would  not 
break  his  word,  and  so  he  sent  him  off, 
but  procured  him  an  excellent  place,  for 
he  said  he  was  a  good  boy,  and  always 
told  the  truth. 

Most  modestly  and  impressively  he  en 
treated,  in  his  own  homely  manner,  that 
she  would  rouse  herself  from  the  further 
indulgence  of  her  unavailing  sorrow,  and 
attend  to  the  duties  which,  as  a  living  be 
ing  and  a  mother,  it  was  incumbent  on 
her  to  perform.  "  Life,"  said  he,  "  is  a 
glorious  gift,  and  we  are  answerable  for 
the  use  or  disuse  of  every  moment;  and 
we  sin  greatly  when  we  do  not  use  the 
talents  committed  to  our  charge." 


OLD    WALTER'S    VISIT.  87 

Mrs.  Kingsley  listened  attentively,  and 
offered  no  interruption  to  the  old  man 
while  he  spoke.  She  felt  assured  that 
Harry  now  required  a  stricter  rule  than 
she  would  be  able  to  maintain  ;  a  stronger 
hand  than  hers  would  be  required  to  with 
draw  him  from  the  dangerous  path  she 
saw  he  was  treading.  "  I  can  make  the 
sacrifice,"  she  said ;  "  I  will  send  him 
away,  although  it  will  break  my  heart  to 
part  with  the  only  possession  I  care  for." 

"Dear  madam,"  said  Walter,  deeply 
touched  by  her  sorrow  and  the  noble 
spirit  with  which,  in  spite  of  grief  and 
sickness,  she  resolved  to  fulfill  the  stern 
duty  now  before  her,  "  do  not  forget  with 
how  many  blessings  a  kind  Providence 
has  surrounded  you.  He  who  cannot  err 
did  indeed  remove  your  greatest  earthly 
blessing  with  a  stroke,  but  see  what  is  left : 
wealth  and  a  son,  who,  if  you  raise  him 
properly,  may  prove  a  blessing  to  the 
humble  community  of  workmen  who 
live  on  your  property.  Think,  too,  how 
much  you  can  do  by  which  they  can  be 
made  better  and  yourself  happier." 


88  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"In  what  way,  Walter?"  inquired  the 
invalid  ;  "  tell  me  what  one  so  weak  as  I 
can  do?" 

"  Build  a  little  church,  and  set  an  ex 
ample  to  these  poor,  ignorant  people  who 
have  no  idea  what  religion  is,  by  going 
yourself  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached  ;  es 
tablish  a  Sabbath-school ;  have  the  children 
who  now  go  birdnesting  and  fishing  on 
that  sacred  day,  gathered  up  and  be 
taught  what  is  the  true  duty  of  all  who 
live." 

"  I  feel  that  you  are  right,  Walter,"  said 
Mrs.  Kingsley,  "  but  am  I  able  for  such 
an  effort?  How  shall  I  bring  myself  to 
part  with  Harry  ?" 

"There  is  no  duty  which  we  know  to 
be  right,  however  hard  it  may  be,  in  which 
we  will  not  be  aided  in  the  performance 
by  a  better  strength  than  our  own.  And 
remember  the  case  of  Eli,  how  he  was 
punished  for  the  iniquity  of  his  sons.  He 
did  reprove  them  when  it  was  too  late; 
he  had  been  threatened  with  evil  to  his 
whole  house,  and  admonished  them,  but 
he  took  no  summary  step  to  try  to  reform 


OLD    WALTER'S    VISIT.  89 

• 

them.  '  Therefore,'  saith  the  Scriptures, 
'have  I  told  him  that  I  will  judge  his 
house  forever  for  the  iniquity  which  he 
knoweth;  because  his  sons  made  them 
selves  vile,  and  he  restrained  them  not.' 
So,  also,  if  a  child  is  not  trained  up  in 
the  way  that  he  should  go,  the  man  sel 
dom  chooses  the  right  path." 

Mrs.  Kingsley  did  not  answer,  and 
Walter  sat  with  his  hat  in  his  hand,  ready 
to  leave,  but  still  waiting  for  her  to  speak. 
The  sun  was  setting,  but  his  last  rays, 
faintly  penetrating  the  thick  curtains, 
made  the  gloom  of  the  sick  chamber 
more  apparent.  The  old  farmer  gazed 
on  the  thin  form  and  pale  face  of  the 
mother,  whose  heart  he  thus  felt  himself 
.obliged  to  pain,  and  wondered  what  in 
deed  would  be  her  decision.  The  silence 
seemed  almost  ominous.  Lost  in  thought, 
she  appeared  to  be  altogether  unconscious 
of  the  presence  of  any  one,  until  the  in 
creasing  darkness  warned  Walter  that  it 
was  time  to  depart. 

The  slight  noise  made  as  he  pushed 
back  his  chair  aroused  her  to  recollec- 


90  PAKSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

tion.  "  You  are-  going,  Rowley  ?"  she 
said,  as  with  a  melancholy  smile  she 
reached  forth  her  hand  for  leave-taking : 
"  Come  soon  again,  or  no,  wait  until  I 
send  for  you  ;  I  will  think  over  all  you 
have  said,  for  I  respect  you  as  the  only 
one  who  has  had  the  courage  or  been 
friendly  enough  to  tell  me  the  truth. 

The  old  man  bowed  his  answer  and  left 
the  room,  only  now  feeling  how  hard  had 
been  the  duty  he  had  forced  himself  to 
perform.  Pie  had  fulfilled  his  promise 
made  to  the  dying ;  he  had  spoken  the 
truth  as  it  was  right  he  should  do,  but 
then  by  so  doing  he  had  raised  the  vail 
and  let  in  the  light  upon  that  sad  heart, 
depriving  it  of  the  last  happiness  (treach 
erous  indeed,  and  better  removed)  which 
she  possessed  in  the  belief  of  her  son's 
goodness. 

He  found  the  housekeeper  in  the  outer 
room,  and  remarked  her  agitated  looks. 
She  had  listened  at  the  key-hole,  and 
heard  all  that  had  been  said.  Most  glad 
ly  would  she  have  given  the  "  old  bear," 
as  she  always  called  him,  u  a  piece  of  her 


OLD   WALTER'S   VISIT.  91 

mind,"  but  somehow,  she  never  could 
think  why  it  was,  she  never  could  talk  to 
him  as  she  could  to  others.  Eude  in  ap 
pearance,  stern  in  looks,  there  was  still 
something  so  dignified  in  his  manner  that 
familiarity  or  rudeness  were  alike  repel 
led.  Was  it  not  the  reflex  of  the  pure 
mind  concealed  under  this  rough  exterior 
that  forbade  any  intrusion  ?  She  therefore 
accosted  him  courteously,  invited  him  to 
stay  and  partake  of  the  supper  which  she 
said  was  "  just  now  ready,  and  surely  he 
would  not  take  such  a  long  walk  as  he 
had  before  him  without  having  eaten 
something."  Walter,  however,  declined 
the  invitation,  and  proceeded  homeward, 
while  the  housekeeper  went  to  find  Har 
ry  and  tell  him  all  that  she  had  over 
heard. 

Great  was  his  indignation  ;  but  assured 
that  any  exhibition  of  it  would  be  of  no 
avail,  and  knowing  well  how  to  dissem 
ble,  when  he  went  to  pay  his  evening 
visit  to  his  mother,  he  behaved  just  as 
usual.  Neither  did  she  mention  anything 
of  the  farmer's  visit;  her  plans  were  scarce- 


92  PAESON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

ly  yet  projected,  and  very  much  excited 
by  the  conversation  with  Walter,  she  was 
too  much  exhausted  to  say  anything  about 
that  which  had  occurred,  and  was  to 
prove  productive  of  a  great  change  to  the 
wayward  boy.  He  therefore  went  to  bed 
quite  happy  in  the  thought  that  Mrs.  Ran 
dall  must  be  mistaken,  or  that,  even  if  she 
had  heard  rightly,  his  mother  was  not 
going  to  let  that  u  old  bear  Rowley  "  per 
suade  her  to  send  him  off  to  school. 


TURNING  OVER  A  NEW  LEAF.     93 


CHAPTER   VII. 

TURNING    OVER    A    NEW    LEAF. 

WHATEVER  had  been  the  character  of 
Mrs.  Kingsley's  meditations  during  the 
night,  it  is  certain  that  Mrs.  Randall  re 
marked  a  great  change  in  -her  whole 
manner  when  she  entered  her  chamber  in 
the  morning.  Although  she  endeavored 
by  adroit  questioning  to  find  out  what 
was  likely  be  the  result  of  the  conversa 
tion  of  the  preceding  day,  she  was  entirely 
baffled  by  the  unusual  silence  and  brief 
answers  she  received.  At  length  she 
ventured  to  name  Walter  Rowley;  but 
Mrs.  Kingsley,  either  not  hearing  what 
she  said,  or  not  choosing  to  answer,  de 
sired  her  to  order  that  her  carriage 
should  be  sent  for  Dr.  Martin.  This 
seemed  very  strange  to  the  housekeeper, 
as  that  gentleman  had  been  to  see  her 
only  on  the  day  previous,  and  there  was 
no  sudden  indisposition  apparent  to  make 


94:  PAKSON   HUBEKT'S    SCHOOL. 

a  visit  necessary,  as  the  invalid  had  risen 
earlier  than  she  had  done  for  months,  and 
dressed  herself  without  aid  from  any 
one. 

Dr.  Martin  came;  a  long  conversation 
ensued  of  which  Mrs.  Randall  could  not 
overhear  a  word,  for  Mrs.  Kingsley  had 
left  her  sick  chamber  for  the  first  time 
and  received  him  in  the  drawing  room, 
where  there  was  no  good  place  for  listen 
ing.  Nevertheless,  as  she  told  Harry, 
"  these  closetings  boded  no  good,  find  she 
was  really  afraid  that  old  Walter's  advice 
would,  after  all,  be  taken." 

The  doctor  having  taken  his  departure, 
Harry  was  summoned  to  his  mother's 
room.  Nowise  alarmed  at  the  tale  told 
him  by  Mrs.  Randall,  for  he  was  de 
termined  not  to  go  from  home,  and  never 
doubted  but  that  he  should  gain  his  point, 
notwithstanding  old  "Walter's  influence 
with  his  mother,  he  obeyed  the  bidding 
readily.  He  was  in  great  glee,  having 
just  returned  from  a  ride  on  his  new  po 
ny,  and  flying  up  to  Mrs.  Kingsley  he  be 
gan  to  overwhelm  her  with  caresses,  and 


TURNING  OVER  A  NEW  LEAP.     95 

declare  his  great  delight  at  being  the 
master  of  "  such  a  beautiful  little  horse." 
The  reception,  singular  as  new,  whicli 
he  now  met  with,  at  once  convinced  him 
that  something  was  wrong.  "My  son," 
said  his  mother  seriously,  as  she  shrunk 
from  his  caresses,  "  you  have  been  de 
ceiving  me,  and  but  for  the  faithfulness 
of  one  true  friend  I  should  still  have  been 
in  error  concerning  your  conduct.  How 
could  you  come  to  me  with  falsehood 
when  you  knew  that  good  old  Walter  had 
been  so  much  injured  in  saving  you? 
And  now  I  have  determined  that  in  less 
than  a  fortnight  you  must  go  from  home 
to  be  under  the  charge  of  a  strict  teacher, 
who  has  been  recommended  to  me  as  one 
particularly  capable  of  teaching  you 
your  duty  and  reclaiming  you  from  the 
evil  way  into  which  you  have  fallen.  O 
Harry !  how  you  have  deceived  me.  I 
believed  you  a  good,  obedient  boy,  and  now 
how  hard  it  is  to  find  that  you  have  been 
uttering  falsehood  upon  falsehood,  and 
acting  toward  your  inferiors  in  the  most 
tyrannical  and  heartless  manner.  Prom- 


96  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

ise  me  to  try  and  conquer  these  hateful 
propensities  which  I  now  know  you  to 
possess,  and  give  happiness  to  my  heart 
by  proving  yourself  a  truthloving  and 
obedient  boy.  which  until  yesterday  I 
believed  you." 

"  Indeed  I  will  not  go  one  step  from 
home,  mother,"  cried  Harry,  half  fright 
ened  and  half  angry;  "I  will  not  obey 
anybody  but  you." 

"You  have  no  right  to  say  what  you 
will  or  will  not  do,"  rejoined  Mrs.  Kings- 
ley  firmly ;  "  you  must  now  learn  how  to 
submit  your  foolish  and  stubborn  will  to 
the  wholesome  rule  of  others,  and  so  you 
must  prepare  to  obey  without  one  word 
of  objection.  You  have  acted  in  disobe 
dience  to  God's  holy  law  and  will,  de 
ceived  with  falsehood,  and  rejected  the 
counsels  of  those  who  in  wisdom  he  placed 
over  you  ;  your  mother,  your  teacher,  and 
other  well-meaning  friends.  But  I  will 
not  be  too  hard  upon  you,  for  I  know  that 
1  am  much  to  blame  in  giving  way  to 
sadness  wiien  I  would  have  done  better 
in  overseeing  your  education.  But  as 


TURNING  OVER  A  NEW  LEAF.      97 

the  course  hitherto  pursued  has  been  so 
faulty,  it  is  necessary  that  double  dili 
gence  be  used  in  order  to  make  up  for 
lost  time ;  and  so  you  must  yield  to  neces 
sity,  and  make  no  ado  about  going. " 

"  Never !"  cried  Harry,  bursting  into 
tears  ;  "  I  won't  go  from  home,  where  I 
shall  never  see  you.  I  do  not  love  any 
body  but  you,  and  I  will  die  if  you  send 
me  away." 

" '  Stubbornness  is  an  iniquity,  and 
obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice,' "  said 
his  mother  firmly  as  he  hung  on  her  neck, 
and  with  violent  sobbings  promised  to  try 
to  overcome  his  faults,  and  be  all  that  she 
wished.  But  even  in  this  outburst  of 
violent  emotion  the  pride  and  self-will  of 
his  character  was  apparent ;  and  as  he 
would  not  listen  to  any  explanation  from 
his  mother,  she,  finding  the  excitement 
too  much  for  her  feeble  health,  at  length 
rang  for  a  servant,  and  bade  him  be  taken 
to  his  own  room. 

The  fortnight  which  was  to  pass  before 
he  left  his  home  passed  only  too  quickly 
in  the  vain  hope,  each  day,  that  his 


98  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

mother  would  relent,  and  keep  him  with 
her.  He  would  not  believe  she  could  live 
without  him.  In  this  Mrs.  Randall  en 
couraged  him;  and  it  was  not  until  the 
last  day  that  he  began  to  view  the  affair 
as  really  serious. 

But  feeble  and  sick  as  Mrs.  Kingsley 
was,  she  had  at  length  recognized  her 
duty,  and  was  determined  to  perform  it. 
One  morning,  after  having  been  duly  pre 
pared,  Harry  was  awakened  at  an  earlier 
hour  than  usual,  and  on  descending  to  the 
breakfast  room  found  a  good  meal  in 
readiness,  and  Doctor  Martin  waiting  for 
him.  The  trunks  were  standing  in  the 
hall,  and  he  heard  the  carriage  wheels 
grate  on  the  gravel  as  it  drew  up  before 
the  door.  It  was  really  true,  then ;  he 
was  going  in  earnest;  but  he  was  de 
termined  not  to  yield  without  a  struggle. 
He  wept  loudly ;  declared  he  would  not 
go  a  step  from  home ;  insisted  that  he 
would  run  off  on  the  first  opportunity, 
and,  in  short,  behaved  as  badly  as  pos 
sible.  But  all  was  of  no  avail.  Before 
he  had  half  recovered  from  his  passion  ho 


TURNING  OVER  A  NEW  LEAF.     99 

found  himself  in  the  carriage  beside  Doc 
tor  Martin,  and  rolling  away  at  a  swift 
rate  from  his  home  and  the  scenes  of  his 
youthful  pleasures. 

Mr.  Arnold  was  dismissed  on  the  same 
day,  and  greatly  to  his  own  regret,  as  he 
knew  it  might  be  long  before  he  could 
obtain  another  so  desirable  a  situation. 

Mrs.  Kingsley  of  course  suffered  much 
at  the  parting  with  her  son ;  but  her  duty 
was  plain,  and  she  was  determined  to 
make  a  great  effort  to  overcome  self.  She 
did  so,  and  succeeded. 
7 


100  PAKSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PARSON  HUBERT  AT  HOME. 

will  not  attempt  to  describe  Harry's 
mood  as  the  carriage  rolled  onward  and 
bore  him  toward  the  place  of  his  "  impris 
onment,"  as  he  termed  it.  Doctor  Martin 
kindly  endeavored  to  amuse  and  interest 
him,  by  describing  the  perfect  amiability 
of  the  family  he  was  about  to  enter,  and 
told  him  he  was  sure  if  he  conducted  him 
self  properly  he  would  find  himself  happy, 
and  the  time  of  his  absence  from  home 
would  depend  entirely  on  the  reports  of 
his  good  or  bad  behavior.  To  this  our 
sullen  boy  at  first  returned  no  answer ; 
but  having  wept  until  he  was  weary, 
leaned  back  among  the  cushions  and  went 
to  sleep. 

He  could  not,  however,  sleep  all  clay ; 
and  when  at  length  he  awoke,  the  change 
of  scene  and  novelty  of  the  country  through 
which  he  passed  were  not  without  some 


PAKSON  HUBERT  AT  HOME.      101 

influence  upon  him.  He  began  to  listen 
to  Dr.  Martin's  remarks,  then  to  answer 
respectfully,  and  at  last  was  so  far  gained 
over  as  to  promise  that  he  would  not, 
while  in  Parson  Hubert's  family,  make 
any  disturbance  by  any  useless  act  of  re 
bellion,  which  would  call  for  severity  on 
the  part  of  his  teacher.  We  will  not  de 
tail  Dr.  Martin's  exhortations,  but  simply 
state  that,  while  he  described  Parson  Hu 
bert  as  a  most  learned  and  pious  man, 
gentle  as  a  child,  entering  into  all  the 
feelings  and  sports  of  the  boys  who  board 
ed  in  his  family,  he  was  yet  a  stern  disci 
plinarian,  who  could  not  be  disobeyed 
with  impunity. 

"  And  now,  Harry,"  he  added  in  conclu 
sion,  u  although  obedience  and  a  straight 
forward  course  will  prove  rather  a  hard 
task  to  one  who  has  been  accustomed  to 
have  his  own  way,  I  advise  you  to  yield 
to  the  superior  power.  It  will  be  the  first 
step  toward  conquering  self;  it  will  lessen 
the  term  of  your  probation,  and  make 
you  happier  than  you  have  been  for  a 
long  time." 


102  P ARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

The  journey  was  long.  They  traveled 
one  whole  day  and  part  of  another,  and  it 
was  four  in  the  afternoon  when  they 
reached  a  small  village,  beautifully  situ 
ated  in  a  little  valley  encased  in  a  frame 
work  of  hills.  They  passed  through  it, 
and  at  a  little  distance  beyond,  towering 
above  the  tall  poplars  by  which  it  was 
surrounded,  was  seen  the  spire  of  Parson 
Hubert's  church. 

A  little  further  on  was  the  pastor's 
house,  a  rather  large  building,  of  two 
stories,  the  exterior  of  which,  though  plain, 
was  very  inviting.  It  stood  in  the  midst 
of  a  large  lawn,  inclosed  by  a  green  fence, 
which  separated  it  from  the  high  road. 
A  large,  strongly  built  gate  gave  entrance 
to  the  lawn,  which  was  filled  with  shrub 
bery  and  beds  of  flowers,  and  seemed  to 
have  been  kept  in  the  most  perfect  order. 
In  front  of  the  house  was. what  in  these 
days  is  called  a  verandah,  in  those  of 
which  we  write  a  porch,  with  pillars,  not 
of  the  Corinthian  order,  but  of  trunks  of 
young  pines,  stripped  of  their  bark  and 
varnished.  Harry  thought  it  "  an  odd- 


PARSON  HUBERT  AT  HOME.     103 

looking  porch,"  but  the  beautiful  climbing 
vines  that  entwined  their  clasping  tendrils 
and  mounted  to  the  very  roof,  perfected 
an  attraction  never  surpassed  by  any  work 
of  art.  The  blue  and  purple  vesteria  hung 
^in  long  tassels  between  the  dark  leaves 
of  ivy;  the  sweet  brier  and  prairie  rose 
mingled  lovingly  together  as  members  of 
one  family.  A  large  kitchen  garden  was 
seen  running  along  the  back  of  the  house, 
and  a  long  row  of  bee-hives,  ranged  out 
side  the  fence,  placed  most  conveniently 
near  the  flowers  from  which  the  busy* 
wanderers,  now  returning  homeward,  had 
extracted  the  sweets.  All  presented  a 
picture  of  rural  beauty,  comfort,  plenty, 
and  neatness;  and  even  our  wayward  boy, 
although  determined  not  to  be  pleased, 
could  not  restrain  some  expressions  of 
admiration. 

The  cows  were  coming  home  to  be 
milked,  the  horses  were  being  loosed 
from  the  plow,  the  merry  calves  were 
bounding  playfully  around  the  trough  into 
which  a  rustic  looking  lad  was  pouring 
milk  from  two  buckets  which  he  carried. 


104:  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

A  little  in  closure  on  one  side  of  the  lawn 
was  strewn  with  sand ;  here  two  little 
boys  were  playing  ball;  two  larger  lads 
with  green  woolen  bags  filled  with  plants, 
insects,  and  pebbles,  thrown  over  their 
shoulders,  were  just  entering  the  gate. 
They  were  just  returning  from  a  walk 
through  the  fields,  where  they  had  beeu 
collecting  specimens  for  the  study  of 
natural  history. 

"  Well,  Harry,  this  is  our  place 
of  destination,"  said  Dr.  Martin  as  the 
.carriage  stopped  outside  the  large 
green  gate.  "Don't  you  think  you  will 
be  able  to  get  along  quite  comfortably 
here  ?" 

"  'Tis  a  horrid  out  of  the  way  place,"  re 
plied  Harry  peevishly,  "  but  I'll  try,  on 
mother's  account,  to  like  it;  but  if  it  gets 
too  bad  I'll  run  off." 

"  You  had  better  not  try  that  trick," 
said  Dr.  Martin  laughing;  "it  would  be 
a  real  piece  of  foolhardiness,.  which  is  as 
different  from  true  courage  as  night  is 
from  day.  No,  Harry,"  he  added  more 
seriously,  "  the  true  heroism  in  your 


Parson   Hubert's. 


PARSON  HUBERT  AT  HOME.      107 

case  is  to  conquer  self;  and  now  that  you 
are  brought  into  companionship  with 
other  boys,  you  will  know  what  kind  of 
warfare  that  is." 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the 
verandah.  An  elderly  gentleman  an 
swered  the  knock,  and  Harry  was  much 
surprised  that  it  was  Parson  Hubert  him 
self  who  opened  the  door.  "  Where  is 
the  servant  ?"  he  said  to  himself ;  "  they 
must  be  mighty  queer  people  if  they 
keep  no  servant,  and  admit  strangers 
themselves." 

Nor  were  these  self-communings  ended 
when  he  entered  and  was  introduced  to 
the  different  members  of  the  household. 
First  was  Mrs.  Hubert,  ("  Aunt  Pattie," 
as  the  boys  who  boarded  there  called  her,) 
a  plain,  neat  little  person  with  one  of  the 
sweetest  countenances  in  the  world.  She 
received  him  with  almost  maternal  kind 
ness,  which  made  but  little  impression  on 
the  wayward  boy,  who,  determined  not 
to  be  pleased  with  anything,  wondered 
what  his  mother  could  possibly  mean  by 
sending  him  to  learn  submission  and  self- 


•r 

108  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

conquest  from  such  unfashionable  looking 
people  as  these. 

The  low  ceilings  of  the  rooms,  with 
their  small  windows,  he  declared  were 
enough  to  smother  him ;  and  again  he 
promised  everything  if  Dr.  Martin  would 
take  him  home  again,  as  he  "really  could 
not  exist  in  such  a  place." 

"  I  think,"  answered  the  doctor  dryly, 
"  that  where  one  person  can  exist  another 
can ;  and  truly  every  one  of  the  family  I 
have  yet  seen  wears  an  appearance  of  the 
very  best  health." 

And,  indeed,  this  remark  was  true,  for 
three  finer,  more  blooming,  and  happier 
looking  boys  than  they  who  now  came 
forward  to  greet  him  could  not  be  found 
anywhere.  They  came  up  without  any 
boyish  bashfulness  and  offered  the  hand 
of  fellowship,  which  Harry  indeed  took 
very  coldly.  They  invited  him  at  once 
to  join  them  in  their  sport ;  -but  he  re 
fused  on  plea  of  weariness.  The  truth 
was,  however,  he  was  too  proud  to  play 
with  boys  two  of  whom  were  younger 
than  himself,  and  mentally  resolved  to 


PARSON"  HUBERT  AT  HOME.      109 

keep  aloof  from  the  "young  rustics,"  as 
lie  was  pleased  to  term  them.  So  he  sat 
by  the  window  silent  and  sullen,  looking 
out  at  the  distant  village,  or  replying  only 
monosyllables  when  addressed. 

If  all  without  was  in  perfect  order,  not 
less  so  was  all  within.  Mrs.  Hubert 
("  Aunt  Pattie")  was  a  little  woman,  who 
in  her  simple  cap  and  country-made 
gown  was  the  very  emblem  of  neatness, 
and  every  way  worthy  to  be  the  wife  of 
such  a  man  as  the  good  parson. 

Finding  her  cordiality  neglected,  and 
that  she  could  make  no  impression  on  the 
new  comer,  of  whose  character  she  was 
perfectly  aware,  she  left  him  to  his  medi 
tations,  and  busied  herself  in  preparing 
the  evening  meal.  The  table  was  covered 
with  a  cloth  of  the  whitest  diaper,  and 
every  eatable  upon  it  was  prepared  in 
the  best  manner.  The  nice  home-baked 
bread,  the  fresh  butter,  the  cheese  made 
in  her  own  dairy  by  her  own  hands,  the 
preserved  as  well  as  fresh  fruit,  coffee, 
and  plenty  of  excellent  milk,  all  tempting 
to  a  good  appetite,  were  spread  out  most 


• 

110  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

*  invitingly.  Harry,  however,  would  not 
eat,  declaring  he  was  not  hungry,  al 
though  a  dish  filled  up  with  rich  white 
honey  in  the  comb,  and  which  was 
brought  forth  in  honor  of  the  new  guests, 
had  almost  tempted  him  to  forego  his 
resolution. 

For  this  one  night  he  occupied  the 
"  spare  room  "  with  Dr.  Martin,  who  on 
taking  his  leave  after  breakfast  again 
admonished  our  wayward  boy,  who  still 
declared  he  would  run  away.  "  Really," 
said  the  doctor,  "  you'll  find  that  no  easy 
matter,  and  your  wisest  course  will  be  to 
behave  yourself  and  learn  all  you  can." 

To  this  no  answer  was  made,  except  a 
violent  fit  of  anger  which  vented  itself  in 
loud  sobbings ;  but  no  notice  being  taken 
of  it,  he  finally  subsided  into  a  sullen  in 
difference.  He  went  about  all  day  re 
jecting  everything  offered  him.  The 
.  boys  called  him  to  come  and  play,  or  all 
three  clustering  around  offered  him  books, 
or  tried  to  draw  him  into  conversation. 
Aunt  Pattie  still  spread  her  inviting  table. 
No,  he  would  not  play,  he  would  not  talk, 


PAKSON  HUBERT  AT  HOME.      Ill 

he  would  not  eat ;  he  would  starve  himself 
Into  sickness,  and  then  they  must  send 
him  home  ;  he  "never  would  submit,  no, 
that  he  would  not."  And  so  he  tried  to 
make  himself  altogether  disagreeable,  and, 
we  must  confess,  fully  succeeded. 


112  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

NEW  COMPANIONS    AND    NEW    RULES. 

IF  Harry  thought  to  gain  his  point  by 
the  course  of  conduct  we  have  just  nar 
rated  he  reckoned  without  his  host.  He 
looked  at  the  boys  as  with  great  appetite 
they  devoured  the  evening  meal,  and 
would  not  believe  that  anything  could 
ever  induce  him  to  become  familiar  with 
such  rustic  looking  fellows,  or  that  the 
quiet,  friendly  pastor,  who  seemed  to 
enter  into  all  the  sports  of  the  boys  and 
even  joke  with  them,  was  the  one  who 
was  to  give  him  the  moral  as  well  as  in 
tellectual  training  he  so  much  required. 

Bat  Pastor  Hubert  was  one  of  those 
wise  people  who  think  that  work  should 
be  work  and  play  play  ;  so  at  times  he 
gave  his  boys  full  liberty,  and  even  made 
himself  quite  a  boy  among  them  all. 
Yet  it  was  easy  to  see  that  amid  all  the 
freedom  he  used,  and  allowed  them  to 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.      113 

use,  it  "  was  merely  the  pleasant  conde 
scension  of  a  supreme  ruler,  so  certain  of 
his  authority  that  he  could  afford  to  let 
the  reins  loose  at  times."1'  But  firm  in  all 
things,  he  never  allowed  the  slightest 
breach  of  discipline  ;  his  will  in  all  things 
was  a  law,  his  "yea"  was  yea,  and  his 
"  nay,"  nay,  and  no  one  under  his  rule 
ever  dreamed  of  opposing  him. 

Such  was  the  person  whom  Dr.  Martin 
had  chosen  to  conduct  the  education  of  our 
hitherto  neglected  boy;  how  he  succeeded 
the  further  course  of  our  history  will  show. 

"  My  son,"  said  he,  addressing  Harry 
after  Dr.  Martin  had  departed,  "  I  will 
not  require  you  to  begin  your  studies  to 
day,  so,  being  for  the  present  our  guest, 
you  can  amuse  yourself  in  the  manner 
that  pleases  you  best.  I  wish  you,  how 
ever,  to  observe  the  two  simple  rules  that 
are  strictly  maintained  throughout  my 
household,  namely,  order  and  punctuality. 
The  boys  will  show  you  the  class-rooms 
and  tell  you  the  order  of  the  lessons. 
Every  hour  is  regularly  filled  up,  as  you 
will  find,  either  for  study,  recreation,  or 


114  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

play.  To-morrow  morning  it  will  be  re 
quired  of  you  to  rise  and  perform  the 
same  duties  with  the  other  boys,  and  after 
breakfast  I  will  examine  how  far  you  are 
advanced  in  your  studies,  and  give  you  a 
proper  place  in  the  class.  Six  is  the  hour 
for  rising  ;  for  a  week  your  comrades  will 
awaken  you  ;  after  that  you  will  be  accust 
omed  to  wake  at  that  hour,  and  remember 
that  punctuality  is  required  invariably." 

This  was  all  spoken  in  the  quietest 
manner  imaginable,  but  yet  so  deter 
minedly  as  to  admit  of  no  doubt  of  its 
being  intended  to  be  obeyed.  And  it 
was  astonishing  with  how  little  trouble 
he  did  manage  his  school.  He  never 
thrashed  the  boys,  nor  ever  scolded  in 
the  passionate  manner  many  teachers  do ; 
but  he  reduced  the  conflicting  elements 
which  go  to  compose  that  miniature  world, 
a  school,  to  a  discipline  and  order  per 
fectly  marvelous.  And  why  ?  How  could 
he  effect  so  easily  what  most  deem  so 
difficult?  Only  because,  "like  all  good 
rulers,"  he  first  governed  that  very  difficult 
subject,  self.  Truth,  temper,  conscien 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.     115 

tiousness  never  failed,  and  a  knowledge 
of  the  weakness  of  human  nature  ren 
dered  him  lenient  to  the  offender  even 
while  he  made  him  wince  under  the  quiet 
discipline  he  inflicted. 

Harry  gazed  into  his  eyes  as  he  was 
speaking,  and  a  foreboding  that  there 
could  be  no  trifling  with  Pastor  Hubert 
filled  him  with  deeper  gloom  than  even 
that  which  had  from  the  hour  of  his  arri 
val  overshadowed  him.  Altogether  cast 
down,  he  sauntered  into  the  garden,  where 
he  seated  himself  in  a  vine-covered  arbor, 
and  as  he  gave  way  to  the  apprehensions 
of  coming  evil,  amused  himself  with  kick 
ing  up  the  sand  and  earth  with  the  toe  of 
his  boot.  Here  he  remained  until  the 
recitations  were  finished,  and  the  day 
scholars  departed,  a  fact  he  was  speedily 
made  aware  of  by  the  shouts  and  laughter 
of  the  three  boys  to  whom,  as  boarders 
of  the  family,  he  had  been  introduced. 

Harry  looked  up  to  see  what  caused 
their  merriment,  and  was  made  aware  of 
the  presence  of  "Aunt  Pattie,"  who  wao 
gathering  dry  beans  which  had  ripened 


116  PAESON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

in  a  large  bed  close  beside  the  arbor 
where  he  sat  sulking.  So  quiet  and 
noiseless  had  she  been  in  pursuing  her 
work  that  Harry  had  not  heard  her. 

"  May  we  help  you,  auntie  ?"  asked 
Charles  Harding,  the  eldest  of  the  boys. 

"Yes,  indeed,"  replied  she  laughing, 
"  and  when  we  have  finished  we  will  go 
and  pull  the  early  plums,  each  one  shall 
have  a  pocket  full,  for  the  laborer  is 
worthy  of  his  hire." 

"  O  the  early  plums !  the  early  plums  !" 
shouted  the  two  lesser  boys,  Will  Tracy 
and  Ned  Hartly,  little  ISTed  they  all  called 
him ;  "  what  a  dear  good  auntie  you  are," 
cried  the  latter,  "  to  give  us  so  many  plums ; 
there  is  nothing  better  than  ripe  plums." 

At  this  moment,  his  eyes  glancing  to 
ward  the  arbor,  he  observed  Harry. 
"  There  is  the  new  boy,"  said  he,  "  and 
he  looks  so  lonesome.  Charlie,  you  are  the 
biggest,  go  and  bring  him  to  play." 

"That  means  to  help  pull  plums,"  replied 
Charlie,  who,  as  he  spoke,  went  forward 
and  invited  the  stranger  to  come  and  as 
sist  in  their  work  and  share  the  reward. 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  KULES.     117 

"  No,  thank  yon,"  he  replied  coldly ; 
44 1  have  no  fancy  for  shelling  beans,  and 
I  am  astonished  that  such  a  large  boy  as 
you  can  enjoy  such  childish  sport." 

"  Our  work  is  play,"  answered  Charlie  ; 
"  but  don't  you  like  plums  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Harry,  "  but  I  could  al 
ways  get  enough  at  home  without  shelling 
beans  for  pay.  My  mother  has  the  greatest 
quantity  of  fruit  in  her  garden  ;  I  could  get 
it  whenever  I  wanted,  and  now  I  have 
plenty  of  money,  so  I'll  buy  what  I  want." 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Charlie  good-natur 
edly,  "  we  thought  you  would  like  the 
fun,  and  it  was  no  more  than  right  to  ask 
you ;"  and  so  without  a  further  word  he 
went  back  to  the  boys,  leaving  Harry  still 
venting  his  ill  humor  on  the  sand. 

" Won't  sulky  come?"  asked  Will 
Tracy.  "What  a  blockhead  the  young 
gentleman  must  be.  For  my  part  I'll 
'  leave  him  alone  in  his  glory.' ': 

"  So  will  I,"  rejoined  Charlie.    "  I'll—" 
he  did  not  say  what  he  would  do,  for  just 
at  this  moment  the  gentle  voice  of  Aunt 
Pattie  interposed  its  soft  accents. 
8 


118  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"  Hush,  boys,"  she  said  ;  "  remember 
that  '  charity  suffereth  long  and  is  kind, 
thinketh  no  evil,  is  not  easily  provoked, 
but  hopeth  all  things.'  Be  kind,  there 
fore,  to  the  poor  boy,  who  has  left  a 
luxurious  home  and  an  indulgent  mother. 
Most  likely  he  is  home-sick,  and  I  am  sure 
you  all  know  what  it  is  to  be  home-sick. 
Have  you  forgotten  how  sad  each  one  of 
you  was  upon  the  first  day  you  came  ?" 

"  O  yes,  indeed,  on  the  first  day,"  said 
little  Ned  ;  "  but  then  the  next  day  you 
told  me  such  pretty  stories  that  I  forgot 
all  about  it.  Don't  you  remember, 
aunty?" 

"O  yes,  I  do,"  interrupted  Will  Tracy, 
"  and  that  you  showed  me  how  to  write  a 
letter  to  my  father  and  mother ;  you  told 
me  all  what  to  put  in  it,  and  then  I  felt  a 
great  deal  happier  to  think  I  could  tell  all 
my  thoughts  to  my  dear  parents  if  I  was 
separated  from  them.  I  am  sorry  I  called 
him  'sulky'  and  a  'blockhead."1 

"Ah,  Will,"  said  Aunt  Pattie,  "you 
have  a  great  deal  to  learn  yet.  It  is  so 
wrong  to  call  names ;  and  that  c  charity ' 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.     119 

of  which  we  have  been  speaking  is  c  not 
easily  provoked,  and  never  behaves  itself 
unseemly.' ' 

Charlie,  who  was  a  very  steady  boy, 
and  did  everything  well,  thought  right  to 
give  his  testimony.  "I  was  very  home 
sick,"  said  he,  "  but  I  did  not  like  to 
show  it.  I  suppose  Uncle  Hubert  found 
it  out;  you  know  he  finds  out  everything 
some  how ;  so  he  took  me  out  to  the 
meadows  down  there  by  the  swamp- wil 
lows,  and  showed  me  plants,  flowers, 
beetles,  and  butterflies,  and  told  me  all 
about  Natural  History,  which  I  had  never 
heard  mentioned  in  our  school  at  home. 
And  so,  with  reading  the  books  he  gave 
me,  which  told  of  the  traits  of  the  animals, 
and  the  arrangement  of  my  beetles,  but 
terflies,  and  flowers,  I  had  no  time  left  to 
fret  about  home.  Uncle  Hubert  has 
always  told  me  that  '  employment  is  the 
best  cure  for  useless  sorrow.'  I  believe 
it,  and  although  I  have  nothing  to  trouble 
me  just  now,  except  that  we  can't  please 
the  'new  boy,'  I  propose  we  begin  at 
once  picking  our  beans." 


120  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

As  they  pursued  the  task  at  once  of 
employment  and  sport,  and  the  sound  of 
their  merry  voices  reached  the  arbor  where 
Harry  sat  and  sulked,  lie  began  to  wish 
he  had  accepted  the  invitation  to  join 
them.  It  would  indeed  have  been  the 
best  plan,  for  his  sullenness  affected  no 
one  but  himself.  Time  hung  very  heav 
ily  ;  the  shouts  and  laughter  of  the  happy 
boys  contrasted  with  and  increased  his 
dejected  mood,  and  in  order  to  get  rid  of 
his  bad  feelings  he  began  to  recall  all  the 
pleasant  home  scenes  and  home  possessions 
which  he  had  forfeited  by  his  own  self-will. 
He  thought  of  his  pony,  the  gift  of  his 
kind  uncle,  (and  he  did  so  love  to  ride  on 
horseback,)  how  it  was  standing  idle  in  the 
stable;  of  his  pigeons — this  was  about  the 
hour  when  he  used  to  feed  them  ;  of  his 
little  watch — yes,  and  he  wondered  where 
it  was ;  he  was  so  hurried  on  the  morning 

7  O 

of  leaving  home  he  must  have  forgotten  it, 
and  may  be  the  housekeeper  had  purposely 
neglected  to  put  it  in  his  trunk.  Out  of 
humor  with  himself  and  everybody  else, 
he  was  ready  to  shed  tears  over  what  he 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.    121 

considered  his  hard  lot.  but  pride  and 
shame  kept  them  back. 

The  task,  or  rather  play,  of  bean  shell 
ing  was  ended,  and  now  the  merry  lads 
were  ready  for  something  else.  Harry 
despised  them  in  his  heart  (despised  was 
the  word  he  used ;  perhaps  envied  would 
have  been  a  more  suitable  ane)  as  being 
very  silly  boys,  who  could  find  pleasure 
in  such  a  trifling  recreation  as  shelling 
beans  or  pulling  a  few  plums  ;  and  perhaps 
some  of  our  young  readers  may  be  of  the 
same  opinion,  while  others  are  not.  To 
the  latter  we  would  offer  as  an  excuse  for 
Harry,  that  he  had  never  associated  with 
boys  of  his  own  age,  and  was  a  stranger 
to  the  happiness  which  light-hearted  lads 
can  find  in  every  employment,  whether, 
like  this,  trifling,  or  more  laborious.  His 
associations  had  all  been  with  persons 
older  than  himself,  and  now  he  held  these 
boys,  whose  brains,  even  those  of  the  least 
one  among  them,  were  better  furnished 
than  his  own,  in  utter  contempt. 

But  now,  the  task  being  ended,  they 
were  going  to  the  plum-trees,  and,  in 


122  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

accordance  with  a  hint  from  Aunt 
Pat-tie,  once  more  invited  him  to  join 
them. 

No,  he  would  not ;  and  although  sincere 
in  their  invitations,  they  would  not  coax 
him,  so  off  they  ran,  no  way  affected  by 
his  sullenness,  to  continue  their  sport. 
There  hung  the  inviting  fruit,  now  fully 
ripe ;  surely  it  was  worth  some  trouble  to 
gather  it  when,  covered  with  its  purple 
bloom,  it  looked  so  temptingly  from  among 
the  green  leaves.  Charlie,  being  the 
largest,  shook  the  tree ;  Will  and  Ned 
gathered  the  plums,  and  thought  it  great 
sport  when  one  hit  either  of  them  on  the 
nose,  which  was  very  often. 

Harry,  as  he  witnessed  their  gambols 
while  they  ran  over  the  potato  beds  to 
pick  up  those  that  rolled  away,  almost 
yielded  to  the  desire  he  felt  to  join  them, 
but  his  pride  would  not  allow  him.  He 
loved  fruit,  arid  Aunt  Pattie's  plums  were 
very  fine ;  and  the  boys,  who  were  every 
day  being  instructed  in  the  law  of  kind-' 
ness,  having  at  length  finished  and  filled 
their  pockets,  came  once  more  to  the 


NEW  COMPANIONS   AND  NEW  RULES.    123 

arbor  showing  their  stores,  and  offered  to 
share  with  him. 

He  was  ashamed  to  accept,  and  felt 
that  he  did  not  deserve  so  much  kindness, 
therefore  he  replied  coldly  :  "  No,  I  thank 
you ;  I  would  rather  buy  them." 

The  boys  looked  at  each  other  with  au 
expression  which  seemed  to  say:  "What  a 
silly  fellow  is  this  who  has  come  among 
us !"  and  they  once  more  ran  off  a  little 
distance  arid  began  some  new  play. 

Harry  now  rose  from  his  seat  and  went 
into  the  house,  in  order  to  find  some  one 
who  could  tell  him  where  he  might  buy 
some  plums.  The  only  person  he  met 
was  Annie,  the  servant  girl.  "  Can  you 
get  fruit  here?  does  any  one  keep  it  to 
sell  ?"  was  his  question. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  answered  Annie,  " plenty 
of  fruit,  for  everybody  in  the  village  has 
a  garden  and  some  fruit-trees,  which  bring 
them  as  much  as  they  want.  So  then,  as 
they  all  have  as  much  as  they  use,  no 
body  sells  it.  But  we  have  plenty  of  all 
kinds  of  fruit,  arid  I  am  sure,  if  you  ask 
Mrs.  Hubert,  she  will  give  you  whenever 


124:  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

you  want,  for  indeed,  nobody  here  ever 
buys  or  sells  fruit." 

Harry  was  perfectly  astonished  to  find 
that  in  this  poor  looking  village  fruit  was 
to  be  had  for  the  asking,  but  not  to  be 
bought.  For  once  in  his  life  his  money 
was  of  no  use  to  him. 

He  disliked  the  independent  tone  and 
manner  of  the  servant  girl,  and  his  ill- 
humor  was  by  no  means  lessened.  "  P 
am  not  accustomed  to  such  familiarity," 
said  he  to  himself;  "  at  home  I  was  always 
called  Master  Harry,  and  that  rude  serv 
ant  girl  just  now  spoke  to  me  as  if  I  was 
no  better  than  little  Bill  Allen,  the  miller's 
son.  I'll  write  to  my  mother  and  tell  her 
what  a  queer  place  this  is ;  she  has  no 
idea  of  it,  and  I  know  she  will  send  for 
me  as  soon  as  she  hears  how  unhappy 
I  am." 

He  resolved  to  begin  the  letter  at  once, 
his  anger  would  make  it  eloquent ;  and 
he  went  into  the  house  to  look  after  writ 
ing  materials,  when  all  at  once  he  recol 
lected  he  did  not  possess  any.  This  thought 
rather  dampened  his  ardor.  Writing  must 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  KULES.   125 

be  given  up  for  this  evening,  at  least ; 
and  more  than  all,  he  was  obliged  to  con 
trol  his  appetite  for  fruit,  as  there  was  no 
future  prospect  of  obtaining  any  except 
by  performing  some  kind  of  service  for 
Aunt  Pattie,  for  which  he  would  receive 
two  or  three  pears  or  a  handful  of  plums. 
He  was  ready  to  cry  for  shame  and  mor 
tification  ;  but  he  restrained  his  tears,  for 
lie  was  afraid  the  boys  would  laugh  at 
him. 

There  is,  however,  nothing  better  calcu 
lated  to  bring  a  fro  ward  lad  to  his  senses 
than  hunger.  By  supper  time  our  young 
hero  began  to  think  of  the  nice  white 
honey  he  had  disdained  on  the  previous 
evening,  and  that  it  looked  as  if  it  would 
taste  very  good.  He  determined,  there 
fore,  to  make  a  good  meal.  It  did  not  on 
this  occasion  make  its  appearance  on  the 
supper-table  ;  but  aided  by  the  best  sauce, 
namely,  hunger,  he  ate  his  good  bread 
and  butter,  and  drank  a  bowl  of  rich  milk 
without  any  coaxing. 

Before  the  three  boys  went  to  bed — 
Harry  was  this  night  to  sleep  in  the  same 


126  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

room — they  brushed  their  clothes,  cleaned 
their  boots,  and  arranged  their  wardrobes, 
of  which  there  were  four  in  the  room. 
Harry  looked  on  in  amazement.  Pastor 
Hubert  certainly  would  not  expect  that 
he  should  brush  his  own  clothes  or  clean 
his  own  boots?  indeed,  he  would  soon 
show  them  that  he  would  not  do  it.  At 
home  the  servants  always  did  such  things  ; 
and  so  he  now  got  into  bed,  leaving  his 
"clothes  on  the  floor,  and  his  boots  still 
covered  with  the  dust  of  the  arbor,  which 
he  had  kicked  while  venting  his  ill  humor. 

The  six  o'clock  bell  rung.  "It  is  time 
to  get  up,  Harry,"  said  Charlie  as  he  shook 
him ;  "  come,  we  must  be  down  in  time 
for  prayers ;  breakfast  is  always  ready  at 
half-past  seven,  but  if  you  are  not  up 
when  the  rest  are  ready  for  worship  you 
will  not  get  any  breakfast." 

This  was  bad  news  for  Harry,  but,  as 
there  was  no  help  for  it,  he  was  obliged 
to  put  on  his  unbrushed  clothes.  He 
went,  however,  so  lazily  about  the  task  of 
dressing,  that  both  Will  and  Ned  were 
down  before  him  ;  but  Charlie  who  was  a 


NEW    COMPANIONS    AND    NEW  RULES.    127 

generous  lad,  assisted  and  waited  for  him, 
and  they  both  reached  the  room  barely  in 
time  for  prayers. 

The  service  was  performed  in  the  im 
pressive  and  serious  manner  it  usually  is 
in  country  places,  where  the  glorious 
attributes  of  a  heavenly  Father  come 
more  distinctly  before  men  than  in  large 
communities.  Poor  Harry,  to  whom  in 
his  neglected  education  nothing  of  the 
kind  had  been  taught,  thought  that  pray-* 
ers  were  very  tedious  and  very  useless, 
and  was  glad  when  they  wrere  ended  and 
the  bell  rang  for  breakfast. 

The  keen  eye  of  Pastor  Hubert  was 
not  slow  in  remarking  the  disorder  of  our 
hero's  dress.  He  said  nothing,  however, 
and  soon  after  breakfast  was  over  the  ex 
amining  of  the  new  pupil  commenced. 
Harry  was  older  than  any  of  the  other 
boys  ;  but,  although  not  wanting  capacity, 
was,  for  one  of  his  age,  very  far  back  in 
his  studies.  His  tutor  had  indeed  often 
remonstrated  with  him  on  account  of  his 
idleness,  but  that  was  all ;  he  learned 
what  and  when  he  pleased ;  always  de- 


128  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

clared  he  hated  arithmetic,  and  that  it  was 
no  use  for  him  to  cypher,  for  he  de 
tested  figures,  and  could  never  learn  to  do 
sums,  he  was  sure. 

"Little  Ned  has  the  same  lessons  as 
yourself,  Harry,"  said  Parson  Hubert 
very  mildly ;  "  he  will  help  you  to  do  your 
sums  if  you  do  not  understand  them." 

A  deep  blush  of  shame  overspread  our 
hero's  face.  Little  Ned  with  whom  he  had 
.been  ashamed  to  play,  whose  childish  inno 
cence  he  termed  silliness  and  laughed  at  as 
a  blockhead,  this  same  little  Ned  was  to  be 
his  teacher.  Surely,  it  seemed  that  nothing 
but  humiliation  and  mortification  awaited 
him  here.  Yet  he  dared  not  refuse  the 
offered  aid,  and  the  discovery  each  mo 
ment  made  of  little  Ned's  superior  knowl 
edge  and  advancement,  compared  with 
his  own,  was  by  no  means  calculated  to  re 
store  his  self-complaisance.  He  was,  how 
ever,  more  angry  than  ashamed  to  find 
himself  so  far  behind  this  little  fellow, 
whom  he  despised,  not  only  because  he 
was  much  younger,  but  also  because  ho 
was  more  plainly  dressed  than  himself. 


NEW    COMPANIONS    AND    NEW    KULES.    129 

Mr.  Hubert  observed  his  ill-humor,  but 
gave  him  no  further  reproof  than  to  say : 
"It  is  not,  my  son,  always  a  sharne  to 
be  ignorant,  but  it  is  certainly  a  shame 
not  to  learn  when  there  is  opportunity; 
and  it  will  now  depend  on  yourself 
whether  you  will  use  your  present  ad 
vantages  to  good  purpose  or  not.  If  you 
are  diligent  you  can  soon  come  up  with 
the  elder  boys." 

It  was  altogether  something  new  to 
Harry  to  be  obliged  to  admit  his  own  de 
ficiency  in  the  ordinary  branches ;  he 
had  heretofore  considered  himself  very 
smart,  because  he  knew  the  names  of 
those  fabulous  characters  who  were  called 
gods  by  the  superstitious  Greeks  and 
Romans ;  but  of  the  history  of  those  two 
great  nations  he  knew  little  or  nothing. 
He  could  not  have  told  where  or  by 
whom  printing  was  invented,  neither 
could  he  name  the  boundaries  of  the 
state  in  which  he  lived.  The  passage  of 
Hannibal  over  the  Alps  he  had  never 
heard  of,  but  he  loved  to  talk  about  the 
Argonauts  who  sailed  after  the  Golden 


130  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

Fleece.  The  places  of  some  of  the  con 
stellations  had  been  pointed  out  to  him ; 
but  he  did  not  know  which  city  was  the 
capital  of  the  United  States,  or  that 
France  was  in  Europe. 

He  tried  to  show  off  some  of  his  knowl 
edge  before  Charlie,  (who  he  was  ob 
liged  to  admit  was  a  smart  boy,)  and 
chatted  about  galvanism,  etc.,  and  howr 
zinc  and  copper,  being  brought  into  con 
tact,  produced  electricity;  but  how  glass 
was  manufactured,  or  even  common  salt 
was  made,  he  did  not  even  care  to  know. 
The  little  knowledge  he  had  was  very 
superficial,  and  had  been  studied  entirely 
for  show  and-  effect,  as  is,  it  is  to  be  re 
gretted,  too  much  the  fashion  in  the  pres 
ent  mode  of  education. 

Mr.  Hubert  remarked  that  it  was  well 
enough  to  study  the  constellations,  and  so 
forth  ;  but  he  advised  Harry  to  go  back 
at  once  to  the  rudiments,  and  thus  lay 
a  good  foundation  on  which  to  build. 
"  You  cannot  expect  to  excel  unless  you 
begin  right ;  therefore  you  must  conquer 
your  pride  and  submit  to  make  up  for 


NEW    COMPANIONS    AND    NEW    RULES.    131 

lost.  time.  I  think  you  have  not  studied 
the  word  of  God  at  all ;  I  hope  that  from 
this  day  you  will  begin  to  '  search  the 
Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  have  eternal 
life.'" 

Our  froward  boy  soon  perceived  that 
he  could  not  get  along  without  the  aid 
of  the  other  boys  unless  he  would  remain 
far  behind;  this  his  pride  would  not  sub 
mit  to,  and  so  at  length  he  resolved  to 
change  his  sullen  behavior,  and  enter  into 
friendly  intercourse  with  them.  A  few 
days  passed  over ;  the  same  routine  was 
observed,  prayers,  breakfast,  lessons,  play, 
and  study  hours.  Harry  complied  with 
the  rules  regarding  prayers  and  break 
fast,  but  he  would  not  brush  his  clothes, 
nor  clean  his  boots,  and  declared  to  Char 
lie  he  "  never  would  do  it." 

Mr.  Hubert  had  not  as  yet  chosen  to 
notice  his  disordered  dress  save  by  an  ad 
monitory  glance,  which  the  boys  under 
stood,  and  which  Harry  saw,  but  did  not 
choose  to  notice. 

"Do  brush  your  jacket,  Harry,"  said 
Charlie  one  day  ;  "  Mr.  Hubert  will  come 


132  J  ARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

down  upon  you  when  you  are  least  think 
ing.  He  never  scolds,  but  I  can  assure 
you  he  never  allows  a  rule  to  be  broken." 

"  I  don't  care,"  replied  Harry ;  "  I 
never  brushed  my  clothes  at  home  or 
cleaned  my  boots,  and  I  will  not  do  it 
here." 

Harry  had  been  something  more  than 
a  week  at  school  when  Mr.  Hubert,  on 
dismissing  the  class  in  the  forenoon,  told 
the  boys  they  were  to  have  a  half-holiday. 
"  Our  neighbor,  Mr.  Wharton,  is  coming 
to  visit  us  this  afternoon,  and  will  bring 
his  son  Albert  with  him,"  said  he,  "  so, 
as  you  have  studied  very  well  lately,  you 
can  put  away  your  books  until  to-mor 
row." 

But  who  was  Mr.  Wharton  ?  Harry 
had  never  heard  of  him,  arid  as  little  Ned 
was  now  his  helper  in  everything,  and  in 
many  his  teacher,  he  applied  to  him  for 
information. 

"  O  don't  you  know  Albert  Wharton?" 
cried  Ned ;  "  he  used  to  be  a  pupil  here, 
as  we  are  now ;  but  when  he  was  ready 
for  higher  studies'  he  left.  His  father 


NEW    COMPANIONS    AND   NEW   KTJLES.    133 

lives  only  a  few  miles  from  here,  and 
they  often  come  over,  for  they  think  a 
great  deal  of  Mr.  Hubert  and  he  of  them." 
He  has  a  tutor  at  home  just  now,  but  he 
always  goes  to  New  York  in  the  winter, 
and  he  will  soon  enter  college." 

Harry  was  delighted  with  the  descrip 
tion  Ned  gave  of  Albert  Wharton.  At 
last  he  would  have  a  playfellow  of  his 
own  age,  a  gentleman's  son,  rich,  who 
like  himself  had  a  tutor  at  home,  and, 
passing  every  winter  in  New  York, 
would  be  able  to  tell  him  so  much  of 
city  life  which  they,  living  in  the  coun 
try,  knew  nothing  about. 

The  roll  of  a  carriage  was  heard,  and 
shortly  after  Mr.  Hubert  made  his  ap 
pearance  in  the  school-room,  announced 
the  arrival  of  the  Whartons,  and  gave 
the  boys  permission  to  invite  their  late 
comrade  to  a  walk  in  the  meadow  01  a 
play  in  the  garden. 

Harry  was  getting  out,  with  little  Ned's 

help,    a    sum     in    simple    division;    he 

hardly    waited    to    hear    the    last    word 

when   he    threw   his  scratched   slate  on 

9 


134  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

one  side,  and  took  up  his  cap  in  readi 
ness  to  go. 

Parson  Hubert,  however,  arrested  the 
movement,  but  in  the  gentlest  manner. 
Laying  his  hand  on  Harry's  arm  he  said 
mildly:  "You  can  stay  and  finish  your 
sums,  Harry ;  your  clothes  and  boots 
have  not  been  brushed  for  a  week,  and 
you  certainly  cannot  make  your  appear 
ance  before  strangers  looking  as  slovenly 
as  you  do.  It  is  my  rule  that  no  boy 
here  shall  take  his  seat  at  the  breakfast 
table  with  disordered  dress  or  uncleaned 
boots,  and  I  should  have  forbidden  your 
doing  so,  only  that  I  do  not  like  to  be  too 
severe,  and  never  punish  willingly  a  fault 
committed  through  mere  thoughtlessness; 
nor  would  I  now  punish  you,  as  I  feel  I 
am  right  in  doing,  had  you  not  had  the 
example  of  the  other  boys  for  a  whole 
week,  and  I  know  Charlie  told  you  what 
was  required,  and  offered  to  assist  you. 
You  refused,  and  now  you  must  bear  the 
penalty  of  your  own  self-will,  for  no  one 
here  transgresses  my  rules  with  impunity. 
To-morrow  morning  you  will  certainly  not 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.  135 

forget  to  appear  at  .breakfast  with  your 
clothes  in  proper  order." 

Harry,  blushing  with  shame,  could  not 
raise  his  eyes  from  the  floor  ;  a  thought, 
however,  struck  him,  and  he  was  about  to 
ask  if  he  might  not  put  on  his  best  suit 
for  this  time  only;  but  Mr.  Hubert  had 
left  the  room,  and  our  wayward  hero 
found  himself  left  alone  to  reckon — not 
by  figures,  however — why  or  how  it  was 
that  this  quiet,  gentle,  and  ofttimes  familiar 
little  man,  who  would  talk  to  the  boys 
as  if  he  was  a  boy  himself,  could  not  be 
resisted  or  disobeyed.  His  arithmetic  did 
not  exhibit  any  rule  by  which  he  could 
solve  the  difficulty  and  obtain  the  result 
he  wished,  so  he  gave  up  thinking  about 
any  regular  method  for  (Counteracting 
what  he  termed  the  "  old  man's  tyranny," 
but  at  the  same  time  began  to  plan 
how  he  could  meet  it  and  come  off  con 
queror. 

"  Sums,  indeed  ?  he  would  do  no  sums ; 
no,  nor  he  would  not  read."  What  then 
did  he  do  ? 

In  a  very  ill-humor,  he  remained  in  the 


136  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

school-room  alone,  and  looked  out  of  the 
window  at  the  other  boys  as  they  ran 
round  in  the  meadow  playing  "  prison 
base,"  or  "  commons."  He  saw  that 
Albert  Wharton,  although  older  than 
Charlie,  appeared  greatly  to  enjoy  the 
sport,  particularly  when  they  showed  him 
the  new  gymnasium,  which  was  erected 
at  the  bottom  of  the  garden.  Besides  the 
ladder  and  the  bars,  they  had  a  tall  pole 
with  a  bird  on  the  top.  This  was  a  tar 
get  for  their  tiny  arrows,  and  loud  shouts 
proclaimed  the  joy  of  the  victor,  whose 
well-directed  aim  brought  the  bird  from 
his  perch. 

Harry's  moodiness  increased  every  mo 
ment.  At  first  he  wondered  that  a  large 
boy  like  Albert  could  find  any  pleasure  in 
such  childish  sports,  and  concluded  that 
he  must  be  a  silly  kind  of  a  boy.  Grad 
ually,  however,  his  mood  grew  softer, 
and  as  the  simple  archery  went  on  it  be 
came  suggestive  of  the  painful  scene  in 
the  wood,  and  recalled  the  memories  of 
poor  Barn.ey  and  the  miller's  boy.  And 
now,  for  the  first  time,  it  occurred  to  him 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  EULES.     137 

that  this  last  act  of  self-will  was  the  oc 
casion  of  his  banishment  from  home. 
"  Poor  Barney,"  he  sighed,  "  lost  his 
good  place  because  he  obliged  me  ;  and 
little  Bill,  if  he  had  -been  lamed  for  life  I 
could  never  have  borne  to  meet  him. 
How  they  must  hate  me.  Ah  !  if  I  had 
only  played  the  harmless  plays  of  these 
boys  ;  if  I  had  chosen  to  obey  rather  than 
to  command,  I  would  still  have  been  at 
home ;  and  my  dear  mother,  I  do  not 
know  whether  she  is  sick  or  well." 

Tears  now  began  to  flow  plentifully 
over  the  slate  which  still  lay  before  him, 
and  burying  his  face  in  his  hands,  he 
wept  bitterly  as  the  shouts  of  boyish 
merriment  came  up  at  intervals  to  his  ear 
from  the  garden.  At  a  louder  burst  than 
usual  he  wiped  the  tears  from  his  face, 
and  advancing  to  the  window,  saw  that 
Albert  had  brought  the  bird  from  his 
perch,  and  the  others  were  crowning  him 
as  the  victor  with  a  garland  of  leaves. 

Mr.  Wharton  and  his  son  remained 
until  after  tea ;  Aunt  Pattie  on  this  oc 
casion  brought  forth  the  dish  of  white 


138  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

honey  and  several  other  delicacies  only 
enjoyed  on  festival  times,  to  which  the 
guests  gave  due  honor.  Harry  was  not 
invited  to  the  table;  nevertheless  a  portion 
of  all  the  good  things  was  sent  to  his 
room,  which  he,  like  most  froward  lads 
on  similar  occasions,  refused  to  eat. 

"  This  is  too  much,"  cried  he,  as  his 
late  repentant  mood  became  changed  into 
one  of  anger.  "  I  will  not  submit  to  any 
such  treatment,  I'll  write  to  my  mother 
at  once ;"  and  going  to  his  desk  he  tore  a 
leaf  out  of  his  copy-book,  and  began  a 
letter  to  his  mother.  He  complained  bit 
terly  of  the  treatment  he  received,  spoke 
of  Parson  Hubert  as  a  great  tyrant,  and 
declared  that  he  would  die  if  he  remained 
at  the  parsonage,  for  the  boys  were  all 
too  young  and  too  childish  to  be  suitable 
companions  for  him.  It  was  fully  dark 
by  the  time  he  had  finished  ;  but  at  length 
it  was  folded  and  sealed,  and  placing  it 
in  his  pocket,  he  resolved  to  give  it  in  the 
morning  to  the  boy  who  carried  the  let 
ters  to  the  village  post-office. 

Just  then  the  boys  made  their  appear- 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  KULES.     139 

ance,  looking  as  bright  and  happy  as  only 
boys  do,  and  after  telling  Harry  that  it 
was  time  to  go  to  bed,  proposed  repeating 
some  of  the  many  stories  they  had  heard 
down  stairs.  "  They  were  so  funny," 
said  Ned ;  "  Uncle  Hubert  and  Mr. 
Wharton  made  us  laugh  ;  but  Albert  told 
the  best  one,  and  if  you  would  like  to 
hear  it  I  will  tell  you." 

"  No,  thank  you,"  answered  Harry 
coldly,  as  he  prepared  for  bed ;  "  I  am 
tired  and  sleepy ;  besides,  I  have  not 
taken  any  fancy  for  Albert;  he  seems 
to  be  a  silly  kind  of  fellow  for  one  of 
his  age." 

He  did  not  care  to  hear  anything  more 
about  one  who,  older  than  himself,  could 
take  so  much  pleasure  in  the  sports  of 
children,  and  tell  tales  to  them.  His  in 
terest  in  Albert  was  at  an  end.  Poor 
Harry,  he  did  not  love  reading ;  he  had 
never  read  any  of  those  instructive  books 
which  are  so  useful  to  children ;  nobody 
-had  ever  told  him  tales  calculated  to  in 
struct  ;  the  few  stories  he  had  heard 
were  all  about  ghosts  or  fairies,  or  trifling 


14:0  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

adventures  of  chickens  or  pigs,  and  only 
tit  for  little  people. 

Charlie  did  not  fail  to  remind  him  that 
he  ought  to  brush  his  clothes  if  he  would 
wish  to  avoid  an  unpleasant  scene  in  the 
morning.  "  Come,  Harry,"  said  he,  "  get 
at  your  brushing  and  I  will  help  you  ;  it 
is  very  easy  and  will  only  take  a  few 
minutes." 

"I  know  it,"  Harry  answered  snappishly, 
"without  your  telling  me;"  for  he  was 
still  in  a  bad  humor,  and  it  made  him 
angry  to  be  reminded  of  his  duty,  which 
he  had  not  forgotten.  "  I  can  get  up  a 
little  earlier  in  the  morning  and  do  it," 
he  added,  "but  I  am  too  sleepy  just 
now." 

This  was  not  true,  and  only  proceeded 
from  a  spirit  of  opposition,  for  he  wished 
to  show  the  boys  that  he  was  determined 
to  do  just  as  he  pleased,  accepting  neither 
advice  nor  assistance.  Charlie  made  no 
reply,  but  proceeded,  as  did  the  two 
other  boys,  to  perform  their  tasks, 
while  Harry  got  into  bed  and  was  soon 
fast  asleep. 


NEW   COMPANIONS    AND   NEW  KULES.    141 

On  the  following  morning  he  was 
awakened  by  little  Ned.  "  Yon  know, 
Harry,"  he  urged,  "you  must  get  up  a 
little  sooner  as  you  have  your  clothes  to 
brush ;"  but  Harry  bade  him  let  him 
alone,  and  turning  over  on  the  other  side 
was  soon  sound  asleep.  The  other  boys 
rose  at  the  sound  of  the  first  bell. 
"  Come,  Harry,"  cried  Charlie,  "  I  will 
help  you  if  you  get  up  now." 

No  ;  our  wayward  hero  never  rose  at 
home  until  it  suited  him,  and  full  of  his 
new  plan  of  steady  rebellion,  he  would 
now  let  them  all  see  that  he  would  lie 
abed  as  long  as  he  pleased.  He  therefore 
made  no  answer  to  Charlie's  offer  of  as 
sistance,  but  at  last  he  forced  himself  to 
leave  his  bed,  and  with  very  visible  re 
luctance  began  to  dress.  But  his  clothes ; 
ah,  they  were  to  be  brushed,  and  he  set 
about  beginning  the  task,  very  awkwardly 
indeed,  whereupon  Charlie  good-natur 
edly  offered  to  assist  him.  He  had,  how 
ever,  just  taken  the  brush  in  his  hand 
when  the  prayer-bell  sounded,  and  he 
was  obliged  to  go  without  having  per- 


142  PARSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

formed  his  generous  intention,  which  was 
to  save  Harry  the  mortification  which  he 
knew  must  ensue  on  the  failure  of  his  duty. 

Prayers  were  ended  and  breakfast  was 
over  before  Harry  made  his  appearance, 
and  great  was  his  dismay  at  finding  the 
table  cleared  and  no  breakfast  set  aside 
for  him.  Nobody  seemed  to  have  noticed 
that  he  had  been  too  late  except  Annie, 
the  servant  girl,  who  was  taking  her 
morning  meal  in  the  kitchen,  who  offered 
to  give  him  a  slice  of  bread  and  butter, 
which  he  disdained  to  accept. 

The  hour  for  school  arrived,  and  Harry 
took  his  place  in  the  class.  Mr.  Hubert 
made  no  allusion  to  his  nonappearance  at 
the  breakfast  table,  but  attended  to  the 
lessons  as  usual.  More  angry  than  ever, 
Harry  opened  the  letter  he  had  written 
to  his  mother  to  add  a  postscript,  in  which 
he  detailed  this  new  indignity  at  full 
length,  and  then  sent  it  to  the  post-office, 
without,  as  he  believed,  any  one  having 
noticed  it.  How  greatly  was  he  aston 
ished  on  the  next  morning  to  find  it  lying 
unopened  on  his  desk.  Who  could  have 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.     143 

laid  it  there,  as  he  had  given  it  himself  to 
the  post-boy  and  saw  him  put  it  in  his 
pocket.  He  was  determined,  however, 
not  to  be  baffled.  An  old  soldier  who 
was  somewhat  of  a  cripple  used  to  go 
about  the  village  with  a  hand-organ ; 
sometimes  in  an  evening  he  came  out  as 
far  as  the  school,  and  as  he  was  really  an 
object  of  pity  he  was  never  driven  away. 
The  letter  was  given  into  his  charge  by 
Harry ;  but,  strange  to  tell,  next  day  it 
was  once  more  lying  on  the  desk. 

It  was  now  time  to  give  up ;  Mr.  Hubert 
could  not,  it  seemed,  be  cheated ;  so,  with 
a  determination  which  exerted  in  a  better 
cause  would  have  been  praiseworthy,  he 
walked  boldly  into  the  pastor's  room,  and 
unblushingly  demanded  why  his  letter 
could  not  be  sent. 

"  Because,"  answered  Mr.  Hubert  mild 
ly,  uyou  have  not  complied  with  the  rules 
respecting  letters  being  sent  to  the  post. 
I  never  refuse  to  send  any  letters  left  on 
my  table ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  never 
permit  any  clandestine  proceedings." 

"  Sir,  may  I  beg  that  this  letter  be  sent 


144:      PARSON-  HUBERT'S  SCHOOL. 

to  my  mother,  as  those  of  the  other  boys 
are  sent  to  their  homes  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  quiet  answer ;  but 
words  cannot  well  describe  the  anxiety  of 
our  fro  ward  hero  lest  Mr.  Hubert  should 
open  the  letter  and  read  it.  This  he  did 
not  do,  but  taking  a  new  envelope,  on  the 
inside  of  which  he  wrote  a  few  words,  he 
inclosed  and  sent  it  in  Harry's  presence 
to  the  post. 

In  a  few  days  an  answer  came ;  it  was 
addressed  to  Mr.  Hubert,  with  a  letter 
inclosed  to  Harry.  It  was  from  his 
mother,  who  assured  him  that  it  was  for 
his  own  good  alone  she  had  chosen  to 
part  with  him,  and  advised  him  to  submit 
to  all  the  rules  of  the  establishment,  tell 
ing  him  that  no  complaint  or  act  of  rebel 
lion  on  his  part  would  meet  with  any 
countenance  from  her.  More  than  this, 
she  added,  after  assuring  him  of  her  un 
altered  affection :  "  I  wish  you  to  show 
this  letter  to  good  Mr.  Hubert,  whom  I  do 
thank  for  the  watchful  care  of  which  you 
complain.  You  cannot  fail  to  be  happy 
and  improve  if  you  do  right,  which  will 


NEW  COMPANIONS  AND  NEW  RULES.     145 

be  in  submitting  your  own  will  to  that  of 
those  whom  God  in  his  providence  has 
placed  over  you,  for  4  obedience  is  better 
than  sacrifice.' " 

Greatly  ashamed  and  very  much 
grieved,  Harry  had  no  thought  of  dis 
obeying  his  mother's  injunction.  Blush 
ing  deeply,  he  handed  his  letter  to  his 
teacher,  who,  after  reading,  returned  it  to 
him  without  a  single  word  either  of  re 
proof  or  otherwise.  Harry,  however,  had 
no  thought  of  submitting  in  the  manner 
recommended  by  his  mother.  He  would 
run  away;  he  would  leave  this  hateful 
place,  this  stern  teacher,  and  those  silly 
boys  whom  he  could  not  bear.  He  would 
let  every  one  see  that  he  could  not  be 
forced  to  clean  his  own  boots  and  brush 
his  own  clothes  ;  he  had  a  will  of  his  own, 
as  well  as  Parson  Hubert,  and  he  would 
use  it.  Robinson  Crusoe — he  knew  a  lit 
tle  of  that  story — ran  off  and  went  to  sea; 
he  had  no  particular  fancy  for  the  sea, 
but  the  wide  world  was  for  everybody, 
and  he  would  go  forth  and  try  it. 

His  Uncle  Alfred,  who  had  sent  him  the 


146  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

pony,  was  a  brother  of  his  mother,  and 
lived  in  the  city  of  A.  He  thought,  as  he 
had  plenty  of  pocket  money,  he  could 
slip  out  at  night,  reach  the  turnpike  road 
before  morning,  and  wait  for  the  stage 
coach,  which  was  sure  to  pass.  The  silly 
boy !  he  did  not  know  what  was  the  dis 
tance,  or  how  far  his  money  would  reach. 
He  saw,  like  many  others,  only  one 
side  of  the  picture  ;  all  the  lights  but  none 
of  the  shadows.  There  was  now  beautiful 
moonlight,  and  on  the  next  night  he  was 
resolved  to  begin  his  flight. 


A   MOONLIGHT   FLITTING.  147 


CHAPTER  X. 

A    MOONLIGHT   FLITTING. 

'  "  ONLY  one  day  more  to  be  a  slave," 
was  Harry's  mental  observation,  when  on 
rising  he  found  the  sun  shining  clear  and 
bright,  and  all  seeming  to  promise  success 
to  his  plan  of  running  away.  He  con 
sidered  and,  as  he  thought,  perfectly  ar 
ranged  his  route,  never  deeming  that  any 
obstacle,  either  from  his  entire  ignorance 
of  all  the  roads  in  the  neighborhood  or 
otherwise,  would  arise  and  frustrate  his 
purpose.  He  had  some  pocket  money, 
for  here  there  was  no  inducement  to 
spend ;  and  as  he  had  no  idea  of  what  it 
costs  to  travel,  he  never  dreamed  that  his 
money  might  not  enable  him  to  reach  the 
place  where  his  uncle  lived ;  indeed, 
he  did  not  know  what  was  the  distance 
to  it. 

"  The  stage-driver  can  tell  me,"  he  said 
to  himself.    "  I  will  give  him  my  money, 


14-8  PAESON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 

and  say  where  I  want  to  go ;"  and  thus, 
quite  at  ease  for  the  success  of  his  expe 
dition,  he  passed  a  more  pleasant  day 
than  he  had  done  since  his  arrival. 

In  order  that  his  purpose  should  not  be 
guessed,  he  chose  to  be  singularly  obliging 
and  obedient  to  all  the  rules ;  he  also  forced 
himself  to  be  very  pleasant  to  his  com 
panions,  studied  his  lessons,  which  he  re 
cited  without  a  mistake;  and  although  not 
asked  by  Charlie,  assisted  him  in  tying 
up  some  trailing  vines  which  had  fallen 
from  their  trellis,  and  gathered  some  ripe 
seeds  for  Aunt  Pattie. 

For  these  slight  services  he  was  re 
warded  by  a  full  share  of  delicious  fruit, 
which  on  this  occasion  he  did  not  disdain, 
and  thought  it  tasted  better  than  any  he 
had  ever  tasted  at  home.  He  did  not 
know  until  now  how  sweet  are  the  fruits 
of  honest  labor ;  yet  it  never  entered  into 
his  mind  that  it  was  the  having  earned 
the  plums  made  them  taste  so  good. 
Truly,  he  never  would  do  such  work 
again ;  it  was  just  what  Sam  Stokes,  the 
gardener's  boy,  did  at  home ;  the  vines 


A    MOONL£GHT    FLITTING.  149 

scratched  his  hands,  and  rubbing  the 
seeds  made  them  rough ;  he  was  no  day- 
laborer,  and  he  would  not  work.  He 
would  tell  his  uncle  what  a  dreadful  place 
this  was  where  he  had  been  living,  and 
concluded  that  his  mother  would  be  in 
duced  by  her  brother's  representations  to 
recall  him. 

The  day  wore  on,  as  we  have  described, 
and  Harry  counted  the  hours  as  they 
passed.  Supper,  studies,  prayers,  and  at 
length  bedtime  came,  all  in  due  order. 
Harry  brushed  his  clothes  and  polished 
his  boots,  wondering  all  the  time  at  his 
own  dexterity  ;  surely  he  performed  the 
task  as  well  as  any  of  the  other  boys,  who, 
he  did  not  doubt,  had  cleaned  their  own 
shoes  all  their  lives. 

The  preliminary  tasks  ended,  the  lads 
crept,  into  bed,  Harry  however,  not  to 
sleep,  but  think.  He  listened  to  the  re 
treating  footsteps  of  the  family  as  they 
retired  one  by  one ;  counted  the  half 
hours  as  the  clock  proclaimed  how  time 
was  passing  until  it  sounded  twelve. 
This  was  the  hour  he  had  fixed  to  put  his 
10 


150  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

plan  into  execution.  The  boys  were 
sleeping  soundty.  He  rose  from  his  bed 
without  making  the  least  noise,  dressed 
himself  hastily,  turned  the  handle  of  the 
lock  cautiously,  and  opening  the  door 
found  himself  in  the  passage.  So  far  all 
had  succeeded ;  he  had  made  a  good  be 
ginning,  yet  his  heart  beat  wildly  as  he 
passed  the  door  of  Mr.  Hubert's  chamber  ; 
he  listened  for  a  moment,  but  no  sound 
from  within  gave  the  least  cause  for 
alarm.  The  front  door  was  reached,  it 
was  locked,  but  the  key  was  in  its  socket, 
and  the  iron  bolt  above  was  easily  pushed 
back.  This,  however,  could  not  be  done 
without  some  noise,  and  Harry  trembled 
so  violently  as  nearly  to  be  unfitted  for 
the  task.  At  one  moment  he  thought  he 
heard  a  window  open,  and  he  feared  to 
meet  the  dreaded  Mr.  Hubert ;  but  all  re 
mained  silent,  and  he  then  concluded  he 
had  been  deceived.  Leaving  the  house 
he  found  himself  in  the  court-yard,  and 
experienced  a  great  feeling  of  relief  as  he 
breathed  the  pure  air  and  imagined  him 
self  free.  How  he  exulted  in  the  success 


A   MOONLIGHT    FLUTING.  151 

of  his  plan,  and  as  he  believed  lie  was 
about  to  take  leave  of  this  hated  place 
forever,  he  could  scarce  refrain  a  shout 
of  joy. 

The  parsonage,  as  we  have  already  de 
scribed,  was  situated  with  a  lawn  in  front, 
inclosed  on  each  side  by  offices  and  sta 
bles  ;  one  large  gate  with  a  smaller  one 
at  the  side  gave  an  opening  on  to  the 
high  road. 

The  moon  shone  clear  and  beauti 
ful,  illumining  the  path  down  which  he 
flew  rather  than  walked;  there  was  the 
gate ;  one  moment  more  and  he  would 
be  his  own  master,  when,  sad  to  tell,  he 
found  it  locked  and  the  key  gone.  In 
vain  he  tried  to  open  the  larger  ;  he  shook 
and  shook  it,  but  it  did  not  yield ;  the 
two  wings  were  fastened  by  an  iron  bar 
which  was  placed  across  them,  and  Harry 
was  not  tall  enough  to  reach  it. 

Terrified  and  anxious,  he  began  to  look 
round  for  something  on  which  to  climb, 
so  that  he  might  remove  the  bar ;  no 
friendly  ladder,  block,  or  piece  of  wood, 
which  would  aid  his  purpose,  came  with- 


152  PAKSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

in  his  view.  All  here  was  kept  in  srich 
perfect  order;  "a  place  for  everything 
and  everything  in  its  place  "  was  one  of 
Parson  Hubert's  rules,  and  Harry  in  this 
case  found  it  carried  out  to  the  fullest 
extent.  Nothing  lay  about;  no  stable 
door  was  left  open  ;  if  there  had  been  he 
could  certainly  have  found  a  ladder;  but 
as  it  was,  all  so  orderly,  nothing  could  be 
done,  and  our  hero  began  to  despair. 
Ah !  he  now  remembered  his  behavior 
respecting  the  practice  of  gymnastics; 
had  he  pursued  those  exercises  as  his 
teacher  wished  he  would  have  had  agility 
enough  to  have  climbed  over  the  gate, 
and  in  spite  of  bolts  and  bars  have  se 
cured  his  liberty.  But  all  hope  of  escape 
was  now  at  an  end  ;  he  saw  his  project 
entirely  upset,  and  angry  and  disappoint 
ed  he  turned  away,  not  to  give  it  up,  but 
to  consider  what  preparation  ought  to  be 
made  for  carrying  it  into  effect. 

Nothing  now  remained  but  to  return 
to  the  house  as  quietly  as  he  had  left  it, 
and  creep  into  bed.  With  feelings  of  min 
gled  rage  and  grief  he  turned  away  from 


A    MOONLIGHT    FLITTING.  153 

the  gate,  and  retraced  the  path  he  had  so 
lately  trodden  with  joy  at  the  prospect 
of  freedom.  But  when  the  front  door 
was  reached,  and  he  turned  the  handle 
of  the  lock,  it  only  moved,  and  gave  no 
admittance.  After  jnany  fruitless  en 
deavors  to  effect  an  entrance  he  was  ob 
liged  to  give  up;  but  how  it  happened  he 
could  not  imagine,  unless,  as  he  said  to 
himself,  the  door  shut  with  a  spring,  and 
thus  had  locked  of  itself. 

What  was  now  to  be  done  ?  That  was 
a  question  more  easily  asked  than  an 
swered.  The  night  was  cold,  for  it  was 
autumn ;  and  to  make  matters  worse  the 
moon,  which  in  the  earlier  hours  had 
shone  forth  in  such  benevolent  bright 
ness,  was  now  overcast,  and  a  heavy  dew 
or  rather  drizzle  began  to  fall.  Harry, 
altogether  at  a  loss  how  to  proceed,  lean 
ed  against  the  door-post,  and  in  an  agony 
of  impatience  wished  now  to  get  into  the 
house  even  more  anxiously  than  a  short 
time  ago  he  had  desired  to  get  out  of  it. 
"It  is  too  bad,"  he  said,  half  crying;  "  I 
have  had  nothing  but  trouble  and  mis- 


154  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

fortune  ever  since  I  came  to  this  unlucky 
place." 

But,  while  blaming  the  place  and  cir 
cumstances  for  his  present  unpleasant  di 
lemma,  he  never  once  thought  of  blaming 
himself,  or  recognizing  that  it  was  his 
own  self-will  and  folly  which  placed  him 
in  it.  He  possessed,  however,  some  firm 
ness,  for  he  did  not  at  once  give  up,  but 
waited  for  more  than  an  hour  before  he 
could  force  himself  to  beg  for  admission. 
Alone  in  the  darkness,  wet  with  the 
rain,  and  trembling  with  cold,  how  he 
longed  to  be  in  his  warm  bed,  of  the 
comfort  of  which  he  was  now,  for  the 
first  time  in  his  life,  fully  sensible.  He 
wept  aloud,  struck  his  brow,  as  if  he 
wished  to  rake  up  some  thought  which 
would  suggest  a  way  to  get  out  of  this 
scrape,  and  ran  about  examining  every 
window  in  hopes  one  might  be  found 
unfastened.  In  vain;  no  one  ever  caught 
Parson  Hubert  napping;  nothing  ever 
disturbed  the  perfect  order  and  regu 
larity  of  the  appointments  at  Lock  wood 
School. 


A   MOONLIGHT   FLITTING.  155 

Aftei  exhausting  himself  and  Ins  anger 
in  the  wa;y  we  have  mentioned,  he  found 
that  nothing  was  left  for  him  but  to  call 
Mr.  Hubert.  At  length  he  did  so. 

"'Harry,  my  son,  is  it  you  ?  How  did 
you  get  into  the  court-yard  ?  Is  it  not 
rather  a  bad  night  to  be  abroad  in  ?" 
inquired  the  good  parson  as,  on  opening 
the  door,  he  beheld  our  poor  hero  as  he 
stood  trembling  with  agitation  rather 
than  cold.  No  answer  being  returned  he 
continued:  "Very  strange  indeed,  as  1 
put  down  the  night  latch  myself  at  bed 
time ;  I  had  not  the  least  idea  of  any  one 
being  out." 

Why  did  not  our  poor  Harry  now  tell 
the  truth  at  once  ?  Surely  it  would  have 
been  better  for  him  to  have  confessed  his 
fault  openly,  and  begged  the  forgiveness 
he  was  sure  to  receive.  He  had  no  inten 
tion,  however,  of  acknowledging  what  had 
been  his  purpose,  although  defeated  ;  false 
hood  had  become  habitual  and  easy,  and  his 
ready  invention  at  once  suggested  the  lie. 

"  I  expect  I  must  have  come  down  and 
opened  the  door  in  my  sleep,"  said  he ; 


156  P  ARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"  at  home  I  often  got  up,  dressed  myself, 
and  went  out,  particularly  in  moonlight 
nights.  But  how  I  got  down  hero  I  can 
not  tell.  I  found  myself  outside  the  door, 
and  it  is  not  moonlight  now." 

Mr.  Hubert  was  by  no  means  deceived. 
Harry  did  not  move  so  quietly  but  that  he 
awaked  him  ;  the  night-latch,  as  it  fell  into 
its  place,  was  not  unheard  ;  and  suspecting 
what  Harry  was  planning,  he  rose  from 
his  bed  and  watched  the  whole  proceed 
ing  from  his  window. 

"  Ah,"  said  he,  "  this  is  bad,  and  argues 
an  unsound  state  of  health.  No  one  who 
is  really  well  ever  walks  in  his  sleep.  But 
as  I  know  how  greatly  your  mother  would 
grieve  if- any  accident  would  befall  you. 
I  shall  take  all  possible  care  that  you  do 
not  make  another  excursion  in  your  sleep. 
Therefore  I  will  have  your  bed  at  once  re 
moved  to  my  room,  where,  as  I  am  always 
awakened  by  the  slightest  noise,  I  will 
have  you  under  rny  constant  care,  and  I 
trust  be  able  to  cure  the  malady  which 
causes  your  sleep-walking." 

With  these  words,  which  threatened  an 


X 

A   MOONLIGHT   FLITTING.  157 

increase  rather  than  diminution  of  our 
young  hero's  misfortunes,  he  sent  him  to 
bed,  and  calling  Annie,  he  bade  her  pre 
pare  some  herb  tea,  in  order,  as  he  said, 
to  prevent  the  bad  effect  which  might  en 
sue  from  this  night- wandering.  He  waited 
until  it  was  brought,  and  handing  the 
bowl  to  Harry,  bade  him,  in  the  kindest 
manner,  drink  it. 

"  You  will  tind  it  very  bitter,  my  son," 
said  he ;  "  but  we  have  in  this  world  to 
take  many  bitter  things  to  cure  both  our 
moral  as  well  as  physical  maladies,  and 
after  the  cure  is  perfected  we  are  thankful 
for  the  means,  however  bitter  they  seemed 
at  the  time." 

Harry,  although  bursting  with  anger, 
drank  the  tea  without  the  least  hesitation. 
Although  Mr.  Hubert  had  not  exhibited 
the  slightest  symptom  of  anger,  although 
not  asking  a  single  question  or  uttering 
one  word  of  reproof,  the  wayward  lad 
felt  that  he  had  received  from  his  new 
teacher  the  hardest  lesson  he  had  ever 
learned.  Was  everything  here  in  league 
with  this  country  schoolmaster  to  disap- 


158  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

point  and  humble  him  ?  Was  it  acci 
dental,  or  what  could  have  made  Mr. 
Hubert  acquainted  with  all  that  had  oc 
curred  ?  Did  he  suspect  the  plan  of  run 
ning  away,  or  doubt  the  story  of  his  pro 
pensity  to  walk  in  his  sleep  ?  All  these 
questions  pressed  painfully  on  Harry's 
mind  and  added  tenfold  to  his  unhap- 
piness. 

It  was  not,  however,  by  accident  that 
Mr.  Hubert  discovered  our  young  hero's 
intention.  His  long  experience  in  teach 
ing  had  made  him  observant  and  quick  to 
detect  the  symptoms  of  rebellion,  even 
when  scarcely  begun  to  develop.  He 
saw  at  once  what  were  Harry's  greatest 
errors,  and  having  a  full  account  of  all 
that  had  occurred  at  home  from  Dr.  Mar 
tin,  he  resolved  to  cure  him  of  his  faults 
by  letting  him  experience  their  conse 
quences.  This  plan  he  was  now  pursuing, 
trusting  more  to  its  efficacy  than  a  course 
of  admonition  and  reproof,  which  would 
only  have  been  mocked  at  by  the  way 
ward  boy. 

A  violent  cold  was  the  consequence  of 


A   MOONLIGHT    FLITTING.  159 

Harry's  night-wandering;  his  head  and 
limbs  ached,  and  for  several  days  he  was 
obliged  to  keep  his  bed.  And  now  he 
longed  more  than  ever  for  his  home  ;  and 
as  he  had  full  time  to  think,  his  reflec 
tions,  which  in  spite  of  himself  would 
turn  to  his  own  misdeeds,  brought  noth 
ing  but  self-reproach  in  their  train. 
Could  he  only  see  his  mother;  ah,  how 
many  lying  excuses  had  he  made  to 
avoid  visiting  her  sick  chamber,  and  that 
too  when  he  knew  that  his  presence 
soothed  and  comforted  her  more  than 
anything  else. 

A  physician  was  called  in,  not  because 
he  was  very  ill,  but  the  measles  were  very 
prevalent  in  the  neighborhood,  and  Mr. 
Hubert  did  not  know  whether  or  not  he 
had  ever  had  them.  His  bed  was  there 
fore  removed  into  another  room  adjoining 
that  of  Mr.  Hubert,  where  Aunt  Pattie 
attended  to  him  with  all  the  tender  care 
of  a  mother. 

Harry  now  longed  for  the  companion 
ship  of  the  boys  quite  as  much  as  he  had 
formerly  avoided  it.  He  was  very  lonely. 


160  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

but  he  bore  the  tedium  silently ;  he  was 
still  too  proud  to  ask  a  favor.  Parson 
Hubert,  however,  was  as  considerate  as 
sagacious,  and  pitying  his  loneliness,  as 
his  eyes  were  too  weak  to  allow  him  to 
read,  gave  little  Ned,  who  had  had  the 
measles  the  year  before,  leave  to  stay 
with  Harry  whenever  he  wished  after 
his  lessons  were  over. 

Our  wayward  hero  at  first  thought 
Charlie  might  be  spared  as  well  as  Ned, 
who  was  younger  than  himself;  but  the 
little  fellow  was  so  pleasant,  cheerful,  and 
obliging,  that  Harry,  almost  in  spite  of 
himself,  began  to  love  him  dearly.  "Ned," 
said  he  one  day  when  thus  alone,  "  don't 
you  want  to  go  home  and  see  your  moth 
er  ?  I  think  I  shall  never  be  well  until  I 
get  home." 

"  I  suppose  I  would  want  to  be  at  home 
more  if  my  parents  were  living,  but  my 
father  and  mother  are  dead ;  and  I  live 
with  my  uncle,  who  is  very  good  to  me, 
but  still  nothing  is  like  one's  father  and 
mother." 

"  But  you  always  seem  so  happy,  Ned.'; 


A   MOONLIGHT    FLITTING.  161 

"  That  is  because  I  think  I  ought  to  be 
happy.  To  be  sure,  I  often  think  of  my 
parents  and  wisb  they  were  living;  but 
then  I  consider  there  are  many  orphans 
in  the  world  who  have  not  such  kind 
friends  as  I  have.  My  uncle  and  aunt 
are  very  kind  to  me ;  and  as  for  Mr.  Hu 
bert  and  Aunt  Pattie,  they  were  as  good 
as  any  parents  could  be  when  I  was  sick 
with  the  measles.  And,  Harry,  if  you 
will  only  mind  the  rules,  you  will  soon 
be  as  happy  as  any  of  us,  for  indeed  I 
think,  as  you  know  all  boys  have  to  be 
sent  away  from  home  some  time,  we  could 
not  have  found  a  better  home." 

Harry  thought  Ned  was  easily  pleased, 
but  made  no  answer,  and  he  was  glad 
he  did  not,  for  the  bright  face  of  Aunt 
Pattie,  who  just  then  entered  with  a 
plate  of  fruit,  which  she  placed  before 
him,  made  him  for  the  time  a  half  con 
vert  to  little  Ned's  opinion. 


162  P ARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  XL 

HARDER    LESSONS    THAN    THE    FIRST. 

HARRY'S  illness  was  by  no  means  alarm 
ing  ;  but  Mr.  Hubert  being  particularly 
careful  of  the  boys'  health,  thought  it  best 
he  should  remain  in  his  room  until  en 
tirely  recovered.  His  eyes  continuing 
very  weak,  he  dared  not  read  ;  this,  could 
he  have  amused  himself  out  of  doors, 
would  have  been  no  privation,  as  he  pre 
ferred  active  pursuits  to  study.  He  had 
often  laughed  at  Ned  for  loving  to  read 
stories  arid  fables,  which  he  said  were  too 
childish  for  such  big  boys  as  they  were. 
Nevertheless  one  day,  when  the  little  lad 
came  as  usual  to  his  room  with  a  book 
in  his  hand,  he  begged  him  to  read  a 
story  or  anything  else  he  chose. 

"I  am  afraid  you  will  not  like  this 
book,  Harry,"  he  replied  ;  "  the  story  I 
was  reading  is  a  sort  of  fable,  and  you 
always  laugh  at  fables,  although  Mr. 


HARDER   LESSONS    THAN   THE   FIRST.    163 

Hubert  says  that  they  are  full  of  meaning, 
and  teach  many  useful  lessons." 

"  Let  me  hear  what  it  is  about,"  said 
Harry,  "  maybe  I  can  learn  something 
from  it  too." 

"  Well,"  replied  Ned,  opening  his  book, 
44  it  is  about  the  Mayflower  that  would 
have  its  own  way.  You  know,  Harry, 
although  the  fables  make  birds  and  flow 
ers  talk,  we  are  not  to  believe  they  did  so, 
because  we  know  nothing  has  the  gift  of 
speech  but  human  beings ;  they  are  only 
written  so  to  teach  us  a  lesson." 

"  I  know  all  that,  for  I  am  not  quite  a 
blockhead,"  rejoined  Harry  somewhat 
pettishly ;  "  but  do  begin,  Ned,  and  let 
us  see  what  we  can  pick  out  of  it." 

Ned  waited  for  no  further  urging,  but 
taking  up  his  book,  read  aloud  about 

"THE      LITTLE      MAYFLOWER      THAT      WOULD 
HAVE  ITS  OWN  WAY. 

u  Everybody  knows  the  little  Mayflow 
ers,  with  their  white  flowers  and  green 
leaves,  that  grow  in  the  woods  and  mead 
ows,  and  children  go  out  and  gather 


164          PAKSON  HUBERT'S  SCHOOL. 

them  in  handfuls,  for  the}7  are  among  the 
earliest  flowers  of  spring.  As  soon  as  the 
snows  are  gone  and  the  fields  begin  to 
grow  green,  these  little  flowers  begin  to 
peep  out  of  the  ground,  and  seem  to  look 
round  curiously  as  if  to  see  if  old  winter 
is  really  gone. 

"Springing  up  then  in  clusters,  they 
spread  forth  their  white  cups  to  the  sun 
and  invite  the  bees,  butterflies,  and  even 
beetles  to  their  acquaintance.  Nor  these 
only ;  they  do  not  bid  farewell  to  the 
earth  until  all  the  birds  of  passage,  except 
the  sparrow,  have  come  and  gone,  and 
until  the  fields  have  lost  all  their  summer 
beauty.  Sometimes,  indeed,  they  tarry 
until  the  first  snow  falls,  and  then  they 
get  their  noses  frozen  ;  that  is  the  reason — 
so  the  country  people  say — why  the  tip 
of  their  leaves  is  red,  for  although  on  the 
next  year  they  come  so  early  and  bathe 
their  whole  heads  in  the  May  dew,  the 
red  spot  remains,  looking  just  like  a  frost 
bite. 

"  Well,  there  was  once  one  of  these 
flowers,  a  good-natured,  simple  little  thing 


HARDER  LESSONS  THAN  THE  FIRST.     165 

that  for  many  years  bad  sprung  up  every 
spring  quite  contentedly  in  the  same 
place.  It  did  not  care  that  it  was  less 
beautiful  than  the  rose,  or  not  dressed  so 
fine  as  the  tulip  ;  no,  its  lot  had  been  cast 
to  dwell  always  in  that  same  meadow 
among  its  equals,  and  it  wanted  nothing 
better.  When  the  children  came  there  to 
play,  they  often  trod  upon  it;  but  al 
though  for  the  time  hurt,  it  never  fretted 
over  what  could  not  be  helped ;  it  would 
modestly  raise  its  head  again,  and  soon 
be  as  well  as  ever.  It  never  once  dream 
ed  of  wishing  to  have  its  own  will,  but 
was  as  happy,  standing  on  its  one  stalk  in 
the  same  place  from  year  to  year,  as  any 
flower  that  ever  bloomed  in  green-house 
or  garden. 

"But  all  at  once,  what  do  you  think? 
or  who  could  have  believed  it  ?  The  silly 
thing  took  it  into  its  head  that  for  once  it 
would  have  its  own  way  and  see  the  world. 
The  manner  in  which  this  came  about 
was  as  follows :  One  day  a  very  stylish  vis 
itor  came  from  the  city  to  the  meadow ;  this 
was  a  magpie,  who  was  clothed  in  a  dress 
11 


166  PARSON  HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

of  shining  black  with  a  white  collar  round 
her  neck.  There  was  a  beautiful  little 
brook  running  through  the  meadow,  and 
our  little  flower  dwelt  on  the  bank  among 
the  bright  green  grass  that  clothed  it,  and 
quite  close  to  the  stream.  The  magpie 
came  to  drink  the  water ;  she  had  a  very 
hoarse  voice  and  hoped  that  this  might 
cure  her,  (just  as  folks  go  to  springs  for 
the  cure  of  different  maladies,)  never  ad 
mitting  that  her  hoarseness  was  natural, 
and,  therefore,  could  not  be  changed. 
She  found  the  time  hung  very  heavy  ;  so, 
for  want  of  something  better  to  do,  she 
began  at  first  to  speak  only  occasionally 
to  the  mayflower,  but  at  length,  as  is  often 
the  case  with  human  beings,  they  became 
quite  intimate. 

"  It  is  the  fashion  everywhere  for  city 
folks  to  visit  their  country  friends  in  sum 
mer  for  the  benefit  of  pure  air  and  good 
fresh  milk.  So  the  magpie,  following  the 
example  of  others,  had  come  to  the  coun 
try,  but  being  rather  late,  found  most  of 
the  flowers  dead  and  the  birds  gone ;  and, 
quite  disappointed,  wus  a/bout  to  return 


HARDER   LESSONS    THAN    THE  FIRST.    167 

home,  when  she  saw  the  bright  little  may- 
flower  blooming  as  freshly  as  if  there  wa8 
no  winter  advancing.  At  another  tima 
she  would  not  have  noticed  such  a  humble 
flower,  but  have  passed  by  it  disdainfully. 
But  even  haughty  people  often  stoop  to 
become  acquainted  with  humble  folks ; 
that  is,  when  they  cannot  do  any  better, 
and  so  the  city  magpie  became  quite 
condescending.  The  little  flower  was  at 
first  a  little  confused,  but  soon  recovered 
so  far  as  to  be  able  to  answer. 

"'Ah  my  friend,'  said  the  magpie, 
4  how  well  you  look  considering  the  late 
ness  of  the  season.  This  must  be  a  very 
healthy  place,  and  I  hope  will  do  me 
good,  as  I  am  very  hoarse  and  have 
grown  quite  thin.' 

The  mayflower  did  not  answer  ;  indeed, 
the  magpie  did  not  expect  it,  for  there 
are  many  who  wrould  rather  talk  than 
listen  ;  and  so  she  went  on  telling  of  all 
the  wonders  she  had  seen  in  her  travels. 
How  in  other  countries  there  was  no  win 
ter,  but  it  was  summer  all  the  year  round  ; 
where  the  flowers  did  not  hide  their  heads 


168  PAESON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

in  the  dark  earth,  and  the  birds  were  al 
ways  singing.  '  Why  do  yon  stay  in  tin's 
dull  place?'  she  at  length  asked;  'why 
do  you  not  go  and  see  the  world?  Cooped 
up  here  as  you  are,  you  can  have  no  idea 
M'  what  things  are  like  abroad.  Travel 
is  very  improving;  and  besides,  every  one 
is  more  respected  abroad  than  at  home. 
Consult  your  acquaintances,  the  wTild 
geese,  who  make  excursions  from  Asia  to 
America  every  year,  they  will  tell  yon 
the  same.' 

u  '  Ah  yes,  I  know  all  that,'  whispered 
the  little  mayflower  in  reply ;  '  I  know  I 
am  of  no  account  here,  since  the  very 
children  tread  upon  me,  and  no  one  ever 
plucks  my  flowers  to  bind  them  up  in  a 
boquet.  The  wild  geese,  yes,  I  have  often 
envied  them  as  I  saw  them  flying  abroad 
on  their  travels  ;  but  who  ever  heard  of  a 
mayflower  (she  uttered  the  name  very 
loudly)  going  abroad  ?  ISTo,  we  have 
lived  in  this  meadow  for  years  and  years, 
and  I  must  say  have  been  very  happy ; 
but  I  think  now  I  would  like  to  go  abroad. 
What  would  my  family  say,  do  you  sup- 


HAEDEK   LESSONS   THAN   THE  FIRST.    169 

pose,  if  I  were  to  mention  such  a  thing? 
All  the  world  of  grasses  and  plants  that 
dwell  in  this  meadow  would,  I  am  sure, 
look  upon  me  with  more  respect;'  and 
the  silly  little  thing  raised  her  head 
proudly,  as  if  looking  around  to  see  who 
had  heard  and  applauded. 

" ;  What  is  it  to  you  what  any  one 
thinks?'  urged  the  magpie.  'All  reason 
able  creatures  ought  to  have  their  own 
way,  and  take  their  pleasure  without  their 
families  or  others  troubling  themselves 
about  it.  It  is  all  nonsense  this  consulting 
of  friends  and  trying  to  please  others  ;  my 
rule  is  to  please  myself  without  caring 
for  anybody.  You  may  depend  upon  it, 
that  if  you  take  your  own  will  and  go  off, 
for  instance,  to  Siberia,  or  the  Polar  Sea, 
or  Africa,  you  will  occupy  a  very  differ 
ent  position  from  that  you  now  fill  in  this 
miserable  meadow.  Folks  are  always  of 
more  importance  abroad  than  at  home.' 

u  The  little  mayflower  was  convinced ; 
she  was  determined  to  go  abroad  without 
consulting  any  of  her  family.  Still,  as 
she  was  very  modest,  she  blushed  at  the 


170  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

thought  of  doing  as  she  pleased.  4I  am 
agreed,'  said  she  resolutely;  'I  will  not 
ask  my  friends,  but  tell  them  I  am  going; 
I  will  have  my  own  way.  I  know  &  friend 
ly  swallow  who  is  soon  to  leave  for  the 
south;  I  will  go  with  him,  for,  as  he  is 
young  and  strong,  he  is  very  well  able  to 
cany  me  in  his  bill.' 

"  'They  all  journey  to  the  African  coasts,' 
said  the  learned  magpie ;  '  and  as  they 
travel  in  large  caravans,  they  can  carry 
you  by  turns  if  you  prove  too  heavy  for 
your  friend.' 

"  And  now  they  went  on  talking  about 
various  matters,  but  mostly  about  what  the 
little  mayflower  would  see,  and  how  much 
she  would  improve,  until  the  silly  thing 
began  to  imagine  herself  of  great  import 
ance.  She  never  had  been  so  happy  in 
all  her  life.  She  was  going  to  have  her 
own  way,  and  she  was  altogether  sure  that 
all  those  must  be  happy  who  can  do  just 
as  they  please  without  any  advice  or  in 
terference  of  friends.  She  thanked  the 
magpie  again  and  again  for  her  wise  coun 
sel,  and  *when  the  distinguished  visitor 


HARDER   LESSONS    THAN    THE    FIRST.     171 

took  her  leave,  made  a  low  courtesy,  bow 
ing  her  little  white  head  quite  down  to  the 
ground.  She  watched  her  as  she  moved 
slowly  through  the  long  grass,  and  ad 
mired  the  silky  black  tail  that  rustled 
like  some  elegant  lady's  dress,  and 
thought  it  was  better  to  be  a  bird  than  a 
flower. 

"  Quite  sensible  of  the  honor  of  such  a 
visit,  the  mayflower  wondered  if  any  of 
her  neighbors  had  witnessed  it,  but  was 
altogether  vexed  to  see  that  the  little  bird 
flowers  had  shut  their  windows,  and  the 
'  Ladies'  Mantles '  had  closed  their  green 
tents  and  were  gone  to  sleep. 

"  ( What  can  you  expect  from  such  a 
poor-spirited  set?'  said  she  to  herself. 
'  They  do  not  know  anything  about  having 
their  own  way,  or  going  from  home  to  im 
prove.  The  magpie  is  right ;  yes,  and  this 
very  day  they  shall  see  how  one  may 
flower,  at  least,  will  take  her  own  way, 
and  not  be  troubled  by  being  obliged  to 
do  as  the  rest  of  her  family.' 

"  Poor,  silly  little  thing !  She  did  not 
really  know  the  meaning  of  '  having  her 


172  PAESON  HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

own  will,'  but  that  was  no  matter;  she 
thought  it  was  something  very  desirable, 
and  was  determined  to  use  the  privilege  to 
the  utmost  extent.  She,  however,  thought 
it  right  to  let  her  family  and  acquaint 
ances  know  of  her  undertaking.  They  all 
advised  and  warned  her  against  it.  'It 
was  full  of  danger,'  they  said,  '  and  must 
end  in  ruin ;'  but  that  was  nothing  to  the 
little  self-willed  flower ;  she  was  going  to 
do  as  she  pleased,  and  did  not  care  what 
any  one  thought. 

"  September  soon  carne  round,  and  the 
swallows  prepared  for  their  autumnal 
flight,  and  when  all  was  ready,  declared 
their  willingness  to  receive  our  foolish  little 
inayflower  into  their  company.  On  the  last 
evening  before  their  departure  (it  is  the 
custom  of  the  swallows  always  to  begin 
their  journey  at  night)  our  silly,  self-willed 
flower  withdrew  her  roots  from  their  native 
earth,  drew  the  leaves  of  her  green  cup 
over  her  head  by  way  of  a  mantle,  arid 
declared  she  was  ready.  The  whole  party 
set  forth,  the  friendly  swallow  carrying  the 
inayflower  in  his  bill,  and  by  daylight 


HARDER  LESSONS  THAN  THE  FIRST.     173 

they  were  far  abroad  on  their  journey 
toward  the  south. 

"  For  the  first  few  minutes  everything 
was  delightful.  The  little  mayflower, 
looking  down  on  the  humble  spot  that  had 
for  so  long  been  her  home,  felt  how  de 
lightful  it  was  to  see  the  world,  and  how 
pleasant  it  was  to  have  her  own  way. 

"  '  Ah,  how  I  pity  those  who  are  left  be 
hind,'  said  she ;  '  if  they  only  had  spirit 
enough  to  do  as  they  pleased,  they  would 
not  stay  there  rooted  in  that  meadow  for 
ever.  I  am  determined  from  this  time 
forth  to  have  my  own  will — but  what  ails 
me  now  ?  I  cannot  breathe  !' 

"  And  it  was  true.  Heretofore,  in  her 
own  home,  when  the  wind  would  sweep  a 
little  more  roughly  over  her  than  usual, 
she  would  bend  her  head  down  into  the 
grass  until  it  had  passed  over,  and  the 
next  minute  she  would  raise  it  freshly  as 
ever.  But  the  rapid  flight  of  the  swal 
lows  through  the  air  set  it  in  motion,  and 
made  her  breathing  very  difficult.  She 
looked  about  her;  nothing  but  sky  aurve 
and  around  ;  the  earth  was  fur  below,  and 


174:  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

no  friendly  grass  was  seen  where  she  could 
vail  her  head  from  the  strong  current 
which  almost  deprived  her  of  breath. 

"The  swallows  flew  very  fast,  so  before 
many  hours  were  over  she  lost  the  green 
leaves  of  her  cup  which  formed  her  man 
tle,  and  then  her  white  head  was  exposed 
to  the.  chill  night  air.  By  the  middle  of 
the  next  day  her  roots  began  to  dry,  and 
there  was  no  earth  near  from  which  they 
could  receive  nourishment  or  be  refreshed. 
She  began  to  feel  very  weak,  yet  was  by 
no  means  sorry  for  her  undertaking. 

"  '  Nothing  ails  me,5  whispered  she,  for 
she  could  not  speak  loud  ;  c  nothing  ails  rne 
but  that  I  am  not  used  to  traveling;  but 
I  shall  soon  get  used  to  it ;  and  at  any  rate 
it  is  worth  bearing  some  pain  to  have  one's 
own  will ;  it  would  be  perfectly  delight 
ful  if  I  was  only  well.' 

u  But  before  long  she  was  forced  to  con 
fess  that  traveling  in  the  air  did  not  suit 
her,  and  her  head  sank  down,  as  if  too 
weak  to  sustain  itself. 

"  'I  see  you  are  very  sick,'  said  her  friend, 
the  swallow,  compassionately  ;  '  your  roots 


HARDER   LESSONS   THAN   THE   FIRST.    175 

are  dry,  and  your  leaves  withered ;  shall 
I  put  you  down  somewhere  on  the  ground, 
where  you  can  be  refreshed  with  its  moist 
ure,  which  is  your  natural  food  ?' 

"  'O  no, indeed,'  was  the  answer;  'I  have 
not  had  enough  of  my  own  will  yet,  and 
it  makes  me  so  happy  to  know  that  I  can 
do  just  as  I  please.  Besides,  the  magpie 
arid  all  my  friends  would  laugh  at  me ; 
and  I  am  really  not  sick ;  I  have  only  a 
bad  cold  in  my  head  from  traveling  in  the 
night  air.'  " 

"  Now,"  said  little  Ned,  "  you  see,  Har 
ry,  that  the  silly  little  flower  was  becom 
ing  very  refined  by  travel;,  that  is  the 
fashion,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  I  believe  it  is,"  answered  Harry  ? 
"  but  go  on  with  your  story." 

"  The  air  grewr  warmer  as  the  travelers 
approached  the  African  coast ;  our  poor 
little  flower,  however,  was  grown  so 
weak  that  she  could  not  see  the  promised 
land.  Her  leaves  were  withered  and 
hung  down ;  the  sap  in  her  stem  was 
dried  up,  for  there  was  no  nourishment 
to  be  had  from  her  root,  since  it  received 


176  PAKSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

none  from  the  earth;  the  warm  climate 
and  dry  air  did  not  suit  the  northern 
flower. 

"  '  I  believe  I  am  dying,'  she  sighed. 
"  Ah?  I  wish  I  had  listened  to  my  friend's 
advice,  and  not  taken  my  own  way  ;  I 
have  been  too  self-willed.' 

"These  were  her  last  words,  and  as  she 
uttered  them  the  swallows  alighted  on 
the  land.  Greatly  were  they  troubled 
when  they  found  that  nothing  could  be 
done  for  the  poor  little  flower;  and  while 
they  lamented  over  her  sad  fate,  which 
they  did  with  noisy  chatterings,  they 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  not 
best  for  the  inexperienced  to  have  their 
own  will.  The  news  was  carried  back  in 
the  spring;  the  family  in  the  meadow 
were  very  sorry,  but  said  it  was  entirely 
her  own  fault ;  she  would  neither  be  con 
tented  nor  take  advice,  but  she  would 
have  her  own  will.  Since  that  time  the 
mayflowers  have  remained  contented, 
and  no  others  of  the  race,  that  we  have 
ever  heard  of,  have  desired  to  travel 
abroad  or  have  their  own  will." 


HARDER   LESSONS   THAN   THE   FIRST.    177 

The  little  reader  closed  his  book,  and 
looked  up  into  Harry's  face  as  if  to  find 
out  what  he  thought  of  the  story.  At 
first  our  hero  considered  it  very  childish, 
just  suited  for  such  as  little  Ned;  but  as 
it  progressed  his  interest  increased  more 
than  he  could  have  believed  was  possible. 
It  is  true  it  was  only  about  a  little  flower, 
and  related,  as  Ned  said,  "like  a  fable;" 
but  he  was  obliged  to  own  it  contained  a 
great  deal  of  meaning,  and  seemed  to  suit 
his  own  case  as  exactly  as  if  it  had  been 
made  for  him.  He  could  not  but  acknowl 
edge  that  the  manner  in  which  he  had  here 
tofore  obeyed  the  promptings  of  his  self- 
will  much  resembled  the  silly  conduct  of 
the  mayflower;  and  he  could  not  conceal, 
even  in  his  partial  judgment  of  self,  that 
they  had  nearly  led  to  the  same  disas 
trous  consequences. 

For  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  re 
marked  the  moral  of  a  tale.  Before  this, 
when  he  did  read,  it  was  only  for  the  sake 
of  the  story.  And  while  he  recognized  the 
lesson  it  was  intended  to  convey  he  silently 
resolved  to  conquer  his  wayward  temper 


178  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

and  yield  proper  obedience.  How  silly 
had  been  his  course;  his  late  attempt  had 
proved  a  perfect  failure,  resulting  only  in 
injury  to  himself;  and  now,  although  the 
experience  he  had  gained  might  prevent 
the  repetition  of  a  similar  offense,  the 
effect  of  the  last  still  remained  in  full 
force,  and  without  any  prospect  of  a 
speedy  termination.  He  was  rapidly  re 
covering  from  the  indisposition  caused  by 
exposure  to  the  night  air;  but  the  false 
hood,  that  moral  malady  to  which  he  was 
subject,  which  he  had  used  in  order  to 
deceive  and  mislead  as  to  his  real  inten 
tion,  was  to  cause  deeper  suffering,  and 
required  severer  remedies  before  it  could 
be  cured. 

And  now,  in  his  repentant  mood,  he 
thought  over  all  the  lies  he  had  told  and 
the  subterfuges  he  had  used,  and  as  he 
could  not  recollect  one  single  instance  in 
which  they  had  not  injured  instead  of 
benefiting  him,  he  silently  resolved  that 
in  future  he  would  endeavor  to  act  up 
rightly  and  speak  the  truth. 

This  was   well;   but  although  the  de- 


HARDER    LESSONS    THAN    THE   FIRST.    179 

termination  was  praiseworthy,  and  might 
preserve  him  from  the  perpetration  of  some 
new  deed  of  headlong  folly,  to  conceal 
which  might  cost  him  several  falsehoods, 
it  could  not  prevent  the  consequences  of 
his  last  adventure,  which  had  turned  out 
so  complete  a  failure.  He  could  not 
humble  himself  to  confess  that  he  had 
planned  to  run  away;  and  the  persistence 
in  the  ready  lie  he  had  invented,  namely, 
that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  getting  up  in 
his  sleep,  was  to  bring  a  worse  punish 
ment  than  that  of  a  few  days'  confinement 
by  slight  sickness.  It  was  not  enough 
that  his  bed  was  removed  into  a  closet 
adjoining  Mr.  Hubert's  room,  thus  pre 
venting  all  thoughts  of  a  second  attempt 
to  run  away,  as  that  gentleman  was  the 
slightest  sleeper  in  the  world,  and  awak 
ened  by  the  slightest  noise ;  but  he  was 
deprived  of  the  society  of  the  other  boys, 
who  had  helped  him  to  dress  or  undress, 
as  well  as  to  clean  his  boots  and  brush 
his  clothes. 

Fear  of,  or  even  respect  for  any  one  had 
heretofore    never   entered    the   mind    of 


180  PAESOK   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

Harry;  but  now,  although  Mr.  Hubert 
had  as  yet  not  spoken  a  cross  word  to 
him,  he  found  he  could  not  treat  him  as 
he  had  done  others,  for  he  had  inspired  him 
with  an  involuntary  awe,  and  he  was  em 
barrassed  and  frightened  even  when  he 
called  his  name.  Our  readers  may  then 
imagine  what  was  his  state  of  feeling 
when  one  day  while  he  was  still  an  in 
valid,  and  during  a  visit  of  Dr.  S.,  Mr. 
Hubert  gravely  inquired  of  the  latter  if 
sleep-walking  was  not  a  disease  which 
required  medical  treatment.  Harry,  who 
had  now  for  the  first  time  been  able  to 
leave  his  bed,  was  standing  near  the  doc 
tor.  As  Mr.  Hubert  asked  the  question 
he  was  startled ;  his  face  was  dyed  with 
a  deep  blush  of ; vexation  and  shame,  and 
he  felt  ready  to  sink  through  the  earth. 

Dr.  S.,  who  was  well  aware  of  what 
Mr.  Hubert  meant,  said  it  was  the  effect 
of  some  physical  derangement,  and  be 
gan  an  examination  of  symptoms  with 
Harry  which  gave  him  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  to  answer.  The  poor  boy !  he 
had  resolved  not  to  tell  any  more  false- 


HAJBDEK   LESSONS    THAN    THE    FIRST.   181 

• 

hoods  in  future,  but  he  could  not  even 
now  determine  resolutely  to  confess  the 
truth;  he  was  bold  enough  to  plan  a 
runaway  scheme  at  midnight,  and  brave 
enough  to  begin  its  execution,  but  he 
had  not  the  courage  to  tell  the  truth. 
Like  the  Spartan  boy,  who,  having  stolen 
a  fox,  concealed  it  under  his  coat  and  suf 
fered  it  to  gnaw  his  vitals  rather  than 
confess  his  theft,  Harry  maintained  a  sul 
len  silence  as  his  questioner  prescribed  a 
long  course  of  treatment,  besides  giving 
him  some  very  bitter  medicine,  which  if 
persisted  in  he  said  would  effect  a  perfect 
cure. 

There  are  few  boys  who  are  willing  to 
take  medicine,  and  Harry  formed  no 
exception  to  the  rule.  On  the  contrary, 
he  had  always  manifested  an  especial 
repugnance  to  it,  and  on  this  occasion, 
his  conscience  coming  to  his  aid,  he  boldly 
declared  he  had  no  malady  that  required 
medical  treatment. 

"  How  now,  Harry,''  said  Mr.  Hubert 
in  a  tone  of  surprise,  "  are  you  so  much 
afraid  of  taking  medicine  that  you  will 
12 


182  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

tell  an  untruth?  You  certainly  told  me, 
when  I  questioned  you  why  you  were  out 
of  your  bed,  dressed  in  your  usual  man 
ner,  and  trying  to  climb  over  the  gate 
which  opens  out  upon  the  high  road,  that 
you  were  in  the  habit  of  walking  in  your 
sleep.  It  is  very  dangerous.  I  knew  a 
boy  once  who  was  nearly  killed  by  getting 
up  in  his  sleep  and  falling  down  stairs, 
and  I  could  not  forgive  myself  if  any 
such  accident  happened  to  you  while 
under  my  care.  You  hear  what  Dr.  S. 
says,  that  it  is  a  disease  and  curable,  so 
you  will  have  to  take  medicine  ;  and  in  the 
mean  time  I  shall  write  to  your  mother 
and  inquire  all  about  it,  for  Dr.  Martin, 
when  he  brought  you  here,  did  not  say  a 
single  word  respecting  it." 

"  No,  no — I  have — I  did  not  walk  in 
my  sleep ;  I  will  go  home  to  my  mother  ; 
I  cannot  stay  here  ;  I  am  so  unhappy  I 
shall  die  if  I  stay,"  said  Harry,  now 
wholly  subdued.  "  I  spoke  a  falsehood  ; 
I  never  walked  in  my  sleep  in  all  my  life  ; 
but  I  wanted  to  go  home,  and  so  tried  to 
run  away." 


HAKDEK   LESSONS    THAN    THE   FIKST.    183 

"  Ah,  indeed!"  cried  Dr.  S.  "It  was 
rather  a  bold  undertaking  for  a  boy  of 
your  age.  And  so  you  do  not  walk  in 
your  sleep  after  all?  But  how  was  it  that 
you  got  out  so  quietly,  and  then  made 
such  a  noise  to  get  in  ?" 

"  I  planned  it  all  day,"  said  Harry,  sob 
bing,  for  now,  completely  conquered,  he 
was  determined  to  tell  the  whole  truth. 
"  The  doors  were  easy  enough  to  open, 
but  when  I  was  outside  the  front  door  the 
latch  fell  into  the  socket,  and  when  1  tried 
to  get  in  I  could  not.  Neither  could  I  go 
on,  for  the  gate  was  bolted  so  high  up 
I  couldn't  reach  it." 

"  My  son,"  said  Mr.  Hubert  very 
gravely,  "  how  can  you  expect  us  to 
believe  your  present  story  after  you  have 
once  told  us  a  falsehood  and  persisted  in 
it?  I  am  going  to  write  to  your  mother, 
and  ask  her  if  you  have  ever  walked  in 
your  sleep." 

Harry  would  not  suffer  him  to  proceed 
any  further.  "  O  Mr.  Hubert,  please  do 
not,"  he  cried,  now  thoroughly  humbled, 
"I  have  given  her  so  much  trouble  lately. 


184  PAKSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

I  will  promise  never  to  tell  another  false 
hood.  When  I  told  you  that  I  got  up  in 
my  sleep  it  was  a  lie,  but  I  am  telling  the 
truth  now.  I  believed  myself  ill-treated 
here,  and  was  resolved  to  go  to  my  uncle, 
for  I  thought  it  would  not  be  hard  to  get 
there.  I  see  now  that  I  was  wrong,  and 
am  willing  to  bear  any  punishment  you 
choose  to  inflict  upon  me ;  but  do  not 
write  to  my  mother.  I  cannot  bear  that 
she  should  have  any  more  trouble  on  my 
account.  I  dare  not  think  of  seeing  her 
until  I  can  give  her  pleasure,  and  am  a 
better  boy,  which  I  promise  I  will  be  if 
you  will  trust  me  just  this  once." 

"You  see,  Harry,"  said  Mr.  Hubert 
very  seriously,  "how  hard  it  is  to  believe 
a  liar  even  when  he  speaks  the  truth. 
But  I  am  willing  to  trust  you  once  more, 
since  you  acknowledge  your  error  and 
wish  to  spare  your  mother  the  dreadful 
pain  of  knowing  how  faulty  you  have 
been.  But  now  remember,  on  the  slight 
est  departure  from  truth  this  confidence 
shall  be  withdrawn  from  you,  and  no 
prayers  or  promises  will  be  able  to  restore 


HAKDER   LESSONS    THAN    THE   FIRST.    185 

it.  Falsehood,  as  you  see,  always  brings 
its  own  punishment ;  and  as  you  have  suf 
fered  severely  for  your  error,  I  will  not 
inflict  any  other  penalty  although  you 
certainly  deserve  it,  as  you  well  know. 
Tell  me  if  you  do  not  think  so  yourself  ?" 

"  I  feel  that  I  have  done  very  wrong 
indeed,"  said  Harry,  "  but  I  beg  you  will 
forgive  and  trust  me.  I  can  keep  my 
promise ;  try  me,  sir,  you  shall  see  that  I 
will." 

"  Well  then,  my  boy,"  replied  Mr. 
Hubert,  "  as  you  seem,  from  love  to  your 
mother  and  a  dread  of  giving  her  pain, 
resolved  to  reform,  I  will  endeavor  to  for 
get  that  you  have  tried  to  deceive  me. 
You  grieve  to  have  offended  your  mother, 
who  loves  you ;  have  you  not  also  consid 
ered  how  much  more  you  have  offended 
against  God,  to  whose  goodness  you  are 
indebted  for  all  your  blessings,  far  more 
than  to  an  earthly  parent?  If  you  for 
sake  his  law,  which  is  that  of  truth,  and 
go  on  speaking  and  acting  lies,  you  will 
never  find  an  inheritance  in  that  city  of 
which  God  is  the  glory  and  the  light,  for 


186  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

no  liar  can  enter  there.  "Whosoever  loves 
God  will  love  his  law  and  keep  his  com 
mandments,  which,  even  as  the  wholesome 
restraints  imposed  by  earthly  parents,  are 
for  our  good/' 

Harry,  in  his  softened  mood,  listened 
respectfully  to  the  words  of  the  good  pas 
tor,  and  more  deeply  impressed  than  he 
had  ever  been  in  his  life,  he  took  the  hand 
of  his  friend  who  had  so  mildly  admonish 
ed  instead  of  punishing  him,  and  rever 
ently  pressed  it  to  his  lip^.  We  have 
already  told  our  readers  that  he  was  not 
wholly  destitute  of  good  dispositions,  but 
being  spoiled  by  blind  indulgence,  and 
left  to  have  his  own  way  in  everything, 
he  was  in  a  fair  way  of  being  ruined. 
Now,  however,  he  saw  that  all  his  efforts 
at  deception  had  only  brought  trouble  on 
himself;  that  the  only  safe  path  was  the 
straightforward  way  of  truth  ;  and  when 
he  left  the  presence  of  Mr.  Hubert  it  was 
with  a  fixed  purpose  hereafter  to  walk  in 
that  way. 

But  it  is  not  so  easy,  as  many  suppose, 
to  overcome  a  fault  or  lay  aside  a  deeply 


HARDER   LESSONS    THAN    THE   FIRST.    187 

rooted  habit.  Something  more  than  reso 
lution  is  necessary  ;  constant  watchfulness 
over  self  must  be  maintained  or  the  con 
quest  is  not  complete,  as  Harry,  although 
sincerely  determined  to  reform,  had  soon 
an  opportunity  of  finding  out. 


188  PAHSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

*' 

TRUTH   IS   ALWAYS   BEST. 

MR.  HUBERT,  at  Harry's  request,  had 
consented  that  he  should  again  sleep  in 
the  same  room  with  the  other  boys,  whom, 
although  on  his  first  arrival  he  had  de 
spised  as  clownish  in  their  manners  and 
rustic  in  looks,  he  had  now  half  begun  to 
like.  He  had  found  out  that  Charley  and 
William  were  the  sons  of  rich  fathers  in 

County,  and  the  favorable  impression 

thus  made  was  deepened  by  the  kindness 
they  showed  him  during  his  sickness. 
Although  not  altogether  recovered  from 
the  indisposition  contracted  by  his  mid 
night  adventure,  his  bed  was  removed  on 
the  same  evening,  and  restored  to  its  for 
mer  place. 

"I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  back, 
Harry,"  said  little  Ned,  "  it  seemed  real 
lonesome  without  you ;  but  now  you 
won't  try  to  run  away  again,  will  you  ? " 


TKUTH   IS    ALWAYS    BEST.  189 

"No,"  replied  Harry,  "I  will  not;  i 
have  given  my  word  to  Mr.  Hubert  and 
I  will  not  break  it." 

"  That  is  right,"  said  Charlie  ;  "  yon  can 
be  very  happy  here  if  yon  please ;  I  was 
a  little  lonesome  at  first,  but  now  I  am 
just  as  contented  as  ever  I  was  at  home. 
But  we  are  all  glad  to  have  you  once 
more  for  a  room  mate,  for — •" 

He  did  not  say  what,  for  the  speech 
was  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  Mr. 
Hubert,  who  had  come  in  to  see  if  his 
orders  had  been  properly  attended  to. 
"All  right,"  said  he;  "I  felt  it  my  duty 
to  keep  you  near  me  while  you  were  sick, 
to  guard  against  any  act  of  imprudence 
you  might  choose  to  commit.  You  have 
assured  me,  however,  that  you  do  not  get 
up  in  your  sleep,  and  I  am  willing  to  be 
lieve  you ;  and  although  you  cough  and 
are  still  a  little  hoarse,  I  think  there  is  no 
risk  in  permitting  you  to  return  to  this 
room." 

"  O  no,  sir,"  cried  Harry  ;  "  this  is  such  a 
pleasant  room  I  am  sure  I  shall  get  well  all 
the  sooner  for  being  here  witli  the  boys." 


190  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

Mr.  Hubert  smiled.  "  Very  well,"  said 
he,  "  but  you  must  not  expose  yourself  to 
the  night  air,  which  does  not  suit  invalids. 
But,  Harry,  to  show  you  what  implicit 
confidence  I  place  in  you  now,  and  how 
sure  I  am  that  you  will  keep  your  word, 
I  will  fix  the  night  latch  that  it  cannot 
fall  down,  and  leave  the  gate  unbolted, 
only  placing  a  brick  against  it  to  keep  it 
shut.  We  have  no  thieves  here,  and  have 
little  occasion  to  lock  anything." 

Mr.  Hubert  spoke  rather  playfully,  but 
Harry  was  beginning  to  find  out  the  kind 
of  person  he  had  to  deal  with  ;  mild  as  a 
sunbeam,  but  firm  as  a  rock,  he  could 
not  be  trifled  with.  The  allusion  to  the 
midnight  adventure,  which  had  so  lament 
ably  failed,  brought  a  deep  blush  to  his 
face,  and  he  remained  silent.  "  No," 
said  he  to  himself,  "  I  will  never  be  so 
mean  as  to  take  advantage  of  his  confi 
dence,  and  I  will  show  him  that  I  can 
keep  my  word,  for,  indeed,  I  am  begin 
ning  to  like  him,  and  think  he  means  to 
do  right  by  me."  Still,  he  could  not  re 
press  a  feeling  of  dissatisfaction  that  now, 


TRUTH    IS    ALWAYS    BEST.  191 

when  he  again  was  free  and  nearly  re 
stored  to  health,  when,  in  consequence  of  a 
promise,  there  was  every  facility  offered  for 
a  successful  flight,  he  dared  not  attempt 
to  gain  the  full  amount  of  liberty  he  so 
ardently  wished  for,  since  he  felt  himself 
completely  fettered  by  his  promise.  Be 
sides,  he  could  not  help  knowing  that  the 
undertaking  would  be  a  very  foolish  one, 
for  his  mother,  now  fully  aroused  to  a 
sense  of  duty,  had  shown  him  she  would 
not  encourage  his  rebellion  against  his 
teacher,  for  she  too  insisted  on  obedience. 
Harry  had  nothing  to  do  but  submit,  and 
thinking  that  he  had  managed  his  late 
project  very  badly,  at  length  gave  up  all 
idea  of  ever  running  away. 

Bat  the  consequences  of  his  folly  were 
not  yet  over ;  he  had  to  suffer,  not  only 
through  a  continued  hoarseness,  but  other 
wise.  The  boys  had  gone  out  one  day 
with  Mr.  Hubert  to  collect  specimens  for 
a  cabinet  one  of  them  was  making  up. 
It  was  no  uncommon  thing ;  they  often 
went  out  to  hunt  butterflies  and  beetles, 
and  when  they  came  home  laden  with 


192  PARSON    HUBKRT'S    SCHOOL. 

spoils  gathered  from  the  fields  and  woods, 
they  were  as  happy  as  if  returning  from 
a  successful  expedition  to  California. 

On  the  day  just  mentioned  (Harry 
could  not  go  with  them  on  account  of  his 
cold,  although  he  would  gladly  have  done 
so)  they  came  back  unusually  elated. 
They  said  that,  having  gone  farther  than 
they  at  first  intended,  Mr.  Hubert,  find 
ing  himself  in  the  neighborhood  of  a 
gentleman's  house,  proposed,  as  the 
owner  was  a  particular  friend  of  his,  that 
they  should  go  there  and  rest  for  an  hour. 
Mr.  Harrison  was  a  very  wealthy  man, 
owning  many  large  farms,  and  as  he 
had  the  reputation  of  being  very  hospit 
able,  Mr.  Hubert  was  quite  sure  they 
would  be  made  welcome.  "And  so  we 
went,"  said  Charley  "  and  a  nice  time 
we  had ;  we  were  ever  so  sorry  you  were 
not  along." 

"And  what  do  you  think?"  chimed  in 
Will,  "  they  made  us  stay  for  supper.  Mr. 
Harrison  would  not  let  Mr.  Hubert  go. 
It  was  grand  I  tell  you.  Here,  I  brought 
a  big  apple — a  belle  flower — and  I'll  give 


TKUTH    IS    ALWAYS    BEST.  193 

it  to  you  because  you  were  not  there,  arid 
you  can't  get  such  as  that  every  day." 

"  Wasn't  it  a  good  supper  ?"  inter 
rupted  Ned,  "  and  didn't  we  eat  like 
everything  ?" 

"  Like  everything,  or  like  forty  ?"  said 
Charley  laughing,  "  which  I  suppose,  Ned, 
means  hungry  boys,  and  we  certainly 
were  that,  for  there  is  no  better  sharpener 
of  the  appetite  than  ranging  the  woods 
and  fields  after  specimens  as  we  had  been 
doing." 

"  How  I  do  wish  I  had  been  along," 
said  Harry.  "  But  is  this  Mr.  Harrison 
a  gentleman,  or  just  a  rich,  rough  farmer." 

"He  is  a  gentleman,"  replied  Charley, 
smiling  ;  "  even  you  would  call  him  so  ; 
but  you  have  not  heard  the  best  part  of 
it,  which  is  this :  Mr.  Harrison  is  going 
to  have  a  harvest  festival,  (you  know  it  is 
a  Pennsylvania  custom,)  and  we  are  to  be 
invited,  and  Mr.  Hubert  said  we  might 
go.  It  is  always  held  after  the  grain  and 
fruits  are  harvested,  and  is  a  kind  of 
thanksgiving  party  ;  the  tenants  and  their 
families  are  all  invited,  and  we  and  others ; 


194  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

don't  you  think  it  will  be  nice  to  go, 
Harry?"  , 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  was  the  reply ;  "  I 
should  like  it  of  all  things." 

"  We  are  all  to  go,  every  one  of  us," 
cried  Ned,  "  Mr.  Harrison  said  so  ;  but 
there,  that  is  the  bell  for  evening  prayers," 
and,  happy  as  if  they  were  the  possessors 
of  kingdoms,  they  ran  off  to  obey  its  sum 
mons. 

The  subject  was  renewed  while  they 
were  brushing  their  clothes,  a  task  which 
was  always  performed  before  going  to 
bed ;  and  on  this  occasion  required  rather 
longer  time,  as  their  jackets  and  pants 
bore  very  visible  evidence  that  there  was 
plenty  of  dust  in  the  woods  and  fields, 
which  could  be  had  for  nothing. 

"  Were  you  ever  at  a  harvest  festival, 
Harry  ?"  asked  little  Ned. 

"No,  never,"  was  the  reply;  "I  have 
heard  of  them,  but  they  did  not  have 
them  in  our  neighborhood.  Have  you 
ever  been  at  one,  Charley?" 

"  O  yes !  last  year  Mr.  Harrison  invited 
all  Mr.  Hubert's  family,  and  we  went  as 


TRUTH   IS   ALWAYS   BEST.  195 

part  of  it,"  answered  Charlie ;  "  it  was 
grand,  I  tell  you." 

"  Why.,  what  did  you  do  ?"  asked  Harry, 
wondering  how  enjoyment  was  to  be  ob 
tained  at  an  out-door  feast  among  a  par 
cel  of  boors.  * 

"There  was  a  beautiful  creek,  the 
bank  of  which  was  covered  with  thick 
woods ;  well,  the  table  was  set  there  under 
the  trees,  and  lots  and  lots  of  good  things 
were  placed  upon  it.  We  sailed  in  a 
boat  and  caught  fish,  rode  on  the  horses, 
and  drove  a  little  two-horse  wagon." 

"Ah  indeed,"  interrupted  Ned,  "that 
was  the  best  part  of  all ;  Mr.  Harrison's 
coachman,  old  Frank,  let  me  drive  too, 
and  he  only  held  one  rein." 

The  others  laughed  at  this  driving  in 
partnership.  Harry  declared  he  would 
have  no  objection  to  go  if  they  would  let 
him  ride  on  horseback  or  drive  the  little 
two-horse  wagon ;  he  declared,  however, 
that  nobody  should  hold  the  reins  for 
him,  he  never  did  anything  by  halves. 

As  he  uttered  this  speech  he  thought 
he  observed  a  mischievous  twinkle  in 


196  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

Will's  eye,  and  slight  symptoms  of  a 
smile  playing  round  Charlie's  mouth  ;  and 
in  a  moment  he  recollected  himself  and 
the  new  character  in  which  he  was  here 
after  to  appear.  A  few  days  ago  he 
would  have  flown*  in  to  a  passion  and  re 
sented  it ;  but  now  he  checked  the  rising 
feeling  and  said  mildly,  "  Come,  boys,  let 
us  go  to  bed ;  I  am  very  sleepy,  and,  you 
know,  not  a  very  good  hand  at  getting  up 
early." 

In  a  few  minutes  each  one  had  sought 
his  pillow.  Charley  extinguished  the 
light,  and  the  remembrance  of  the  happy 
day  they  had  spent  was  almost  immedi 
ately  lost  in  the  brighter  visions  which, 
brought  by  sleep,  were  born  from  the  en 
joyment  of  their  working  hours. 

Two  days  passed  over  in  the  usual  rou 
tine  of  study  and  play.  On  the  third, 
Mr.  Harrison  made  his  appearance  and 
invited  the  whole  family  to  the  harvest 
festival,  which  was  to  come  off  on  the 
morrow.  The  boys  were  in  the  play 
ground  at  the  time  of  his  arrival,  there 
fore  they  knew  nothing  of  the  invitation 


TRUTH    IS    ALWAYS    BEST.  197 

until  the  next  morning  at  breakfast  time, 
when  Mr.  Hubert  announced  that  there 
would  be  no  lessons  that  day,  as  the  most 
of  the  family  were  going  to  the  harvest 
festival,  and  he  supposed,  being  particu 
larly  invited,  the  boys  would  go  too. 

Great  was  the  joy  visible  in  each 
youthful  face  at  the  tidings,  and  they 
were  hurrying  out  of  the  room  in  order 
to  give  vent  to  the  gladness  of  their 
hearts,  which  were  brimming  full  and 
must  run  over,  when  the  voice  of  their 
teacher  called  them  back.  "  Boys,"  said 
he,  "  I  am  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  say  that 
you  cannot  all  go.  Harry  must  stay  at 
home  because  he  is  not  sufficiently  recov- 
erd  from  his  cold.  I  wished  that  he 
might  go,  but  Doctor  S.  thinks  it  would 
be  imprudent,  as  it  will  be  late  when  we 
get  home,  and  exposure  to  the  night  air 
would  increase  his  hoarseness,  which  is 
obstinate  enough  as  it  is." 

Harry   did   not   say   a   word ;   he  was 

greatly  disappointed  ;  but  he  knew  that  he 

had   no  one   to  blame  but   himself,   and 

once  more  recognized  that  error  always 

13 


198  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

prepares  its  own  punishment.  The  joy 
of  the  others  was  greatly  damped  by 
hearing  that  "  poor  Harry"  was  not  to  go, 
and  each  one  declared  himself  willing  to 
remain  at  home  with  him. 

"  Charlie,  yon  know  it  would  not  seem 
right  to  leave  him  all  alone,"  said  Will, 
"  we  ought  to  do  as  we  would  wish  to  be 
done  by ;  one  of  us  surely  ought  to  stay." 

"I  am  willing,"  replied  Charlie. 

"And  so  am  I,"  said  little  ]STed,  "I 
shall  not  have  half  fun,  for  I  would  be 
thinking  of  poor  Harry  moping  here  at 
home  by  himself." 

"No,  Ned,  no,  boys;"  cried  Harry, 
"  none  of  you  shall  stay  ;  it  would  trouble 
me  more  to  have  spoiled  your  pleasure 
than  to  stay  alone." 

This  was  a  magnanimous  act  for  our 
hitherto  selfish  Harry.  Not  very  long 
since  he  would  have  accepted  the  sacri 
fice  of  their  enjoyment  as  his  right,  but 
he  was  now  beginning  to  see  things  in  a 
different  light,  dimly,  it  is  true,  but  still 
it  was  the  dawning  of  a  better  state. 

On  application  being  made  to  Mr.  Hu- 


TRUTH    IS    ALWAYS    BEST.  199 

bert,  he  decided  the  matter  at  once  and 
with  satisfaction  to  all.  "  Mrs.  Hubert 
is  not  quite  well  and  prefers  to  stay  at 
home,"  said  he,  "  so  Harry  will  be  left  in 
good  hands ;  I  am,  however,  very  much 
pleased  with  the  spirit  he  has  manifested 
in  choosing  to  stay  alone,  rather  than  spoil 
the  pleasure  of  another.  Therefore,  Har 
ry?  as  y°u  have  a  long  day  before  you, 
you  can,  as  you  have  your  lessons  ready 
for  to-morrow,  get  the  key  of  the  school 
room  library,  arid  choose  some  amusing 
book  which  will  keep  you  from  thinking 
the  time  too  long." 

This  settled  the  matter;  the  boys  accom 
panied  their  teacher  to  Mr.  Harrison's 
festival,  and  Harry  was  left  to  enjoy  a  long 
day  by  himself. 


200  PAKSON   HUBERT'S   SCHOOL. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ANOTHER     MISADVENTURE. 

THE  boys,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Hubert, 
set  forth  in  high  glee,  which  they  mani 
fested  in  every  possible  way,  their  kind 
teacher  imposing  no  restraint  upon  them 
when  out  of  school.  Firm,  and  never  al 
lowing  the  slightest  breach  of  discipline 
where  it  was  his  duty  to  be  strict,  in  times 
like  these  he  relaxed  from  the  teacher  into 
the  friend,  and  it  would  have  puzzled  the 
boys  to  determine  whether  they  did  not 
love  and  honor  rather  than  fear  him. 

Harry  saw  them  from  the  window  until 
they  were  lost  among  the  distant  trees. 
Tears  filled  his  eyes,  and  it  was  with  a  feel 
ing  of  utter  loneliness,  such  as  he  had 
never  before  experienced,  that  he  prepared 
to  consider  how  he  would  spend  the  day. 
He  had  never  had  any  companion  of  his 
own  age  at  home,  and  then  had  not  missed 
what  he  had  never  possessed;  but  now, 


ANOTHER   MISADVENTURE.  201 

after  having  been  accustomed  to  the  fel 
lowship  of  his  comrades,  he  felt  the  want 
of  their  society  to  be  a  great  privation. 
He  wandered  first  through  the  house,  then 
through  the  front  yard  down  to  the  little 
gate,  which  was  left  unlocked,  and  for  a 
moment  the  tempter  was  busy  at  his  heart. 
What  a  fine  opportunity  now  for  running 
away  !  Should  he  take  advantage  of  it  ? 
Nobody  would  see  him,  for  all  were  away 
except  Mrs.  Hubert  and  old  Nicholas,  the 
plowman,  who  stayed  at  home  because, 
he  said,  he  saw  "  no  use  in  such  fooleries." 

He  opened  the  gate  and  looked  out ; 
there  the  broad  road  lay  temptingly  before 
him ;  he  advanced  a  few  steps,  and  his 
heart  exulted  at  the  thought  of  liberty. 
But  had  he  not  pledged  his  word  ?  and  if 
he  broke  it  now,  how  could  he  ever  hope 
or  expect  to  be  believed  again  ?  Still, 
freedom  to  do  as  he  pleased — such  as  he 
had  enjoyed  at  home — how  hard  it  was  to 
resist  such  an  opportunity  of  regaining  it. 

But  with  the  thought  of  home  came 
also  the  recollection  of  his  mother,  pale 
and  sick  as  he  had  always  seen  her. 


202  PAKSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

What  had  she  said?  "Obedience  is  bet 
ter  than  sacrifice ;"  and  now,  since  she 
had  returned  his  letter,  would  she  encour 
age  his  rebellion  against  his  teacher  by 
receiving  him  as  he  wished  1  No,  he  felt 
that  she  would  not.  He  knew  that  such 
conduct  would  grieve  her,  and  he  would 
gladly  spare  her  all  uneasiness.  So,  listen 
ing  to  the  whispers  of  his  good  angel,  he 
retraced  his  way,  shut  the  gate,  and  went 
back  to  the  house. 

Asking  Mrs.  Hubert  for  the  key  of  the 
school-room  library,  he  obtained  it,  and 
selected  a  book.  "The  Young  Maroon- 
ers"  seemed  to  promise  him  amusement, 
and  for  a  time  he  was  interested ;  but  the 
sun  shone  so  brightly,  and  the  air  was 
so  mild,  it  seemed  impossible  for  one  who 
had  passed  so  much  time  out  of  doors 
to  stay  in  the  house. 

He  next  got  his  arithmetic  and  slate, 
and  did  a  whole  page  of  sums ;  but  how 
slowly  the  time  passed !  He  looked  at 
the  clock;  it  was  not  near  dinner  time. 
Old  Nicholas  v^as  shaking  down  the  late 
pears ;  he  would  go  and  help  him  ;  "  that 


ANOTHER   MISADVENTURE.  203 

was  the  very  thing."  And  so  it  proved, 
for  it  kept  him  employed  until  Mrs.  Hu 
bert  called  him  to  dinner. 

"  Come  Harry,"  said  she,  her  sweet 
countenance  radiant  with  good-humor, 
"  as  yon  and  I  are  to  dine  alone  to-day, 
and  we  are  both  invalids,  I  thought  we 
ought  to  have  something  a  little  nicer  than 
common.  I  have  therefore  made  you  a 
nice  little  pudding  just  for  yourself,  and 
made  Nicholas  take  a  fresh  box  of  honey. 
Look  at  that  beautiful  comb ;  did  you 
ever  see  anything  prettier  ?  It  is  so  white 
and  inviting." 

Harry  was  delighted  not  only  with  his 
nice  dinner,  but  with  himself  and  every 
thing  else.  He  had  a  good  conscience 
and  an  excellent  appetite,  which  enabled 
him  to  do  ample  justice  to  the  luxuries  set 
before  him,  and  he  could  not  help  ex 
pressing  his  satisfaction  to  Aunt  Pattie. 

"  O  Auntie,"  said  he,  "  it  is  so  nice  to 
work.  After  the  boys  started,  for  an  hour 
or  two  I  did  not  know  what  to  do  with 
myself,  but  after  I  got  to  helping  old 
Nicholas  I  grew  quite  contented.  I  think 


204:  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

it  is  almost  as  nice  to  pull  pears  as  to  sail 
about  on  the  creek,  don't  you  ?" 

"It  is  always  right  to  make  the  best  of 
everything,"  said  Mrs.  Hubert,  "and  I 
am  glad  to  see  that  you  try  to  make  your 
self  happy ;  the  elements  of  happiness 
are  in  ourselves,  if  we  only  set  ourselves 
to  find  them  out  and  use  them." 

"  Nicholas  has  done  pulling  the  pears, 
Auntie,  but  I  do  so  love  to  be  in  the  sun 
shine  that  I  cannot  stay  in  the  house.  I 
am  going  to  the  garden,  if  you  please,  and 
will  gather  some  flower-seeds  for  you.  I 
can  put  them  up  in  folded  papers,  and 
label  them  as  I  saw  Charley  do." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Mrs.  Hubert,  "but 
do  not  stay  out  long,  lest  you  increase 
your  cold.  I  will  call  you  when  it  is  time 


to  come  in." 


Harry  once  more  found  his  happiness 
in  being  employed.  The  sun  was  so  pleas 
ant,  for  it  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of  autumn  days ;  he  first  cut  his  paper 
into  pieces,  then  took  his  pen  and  ink  and 
went  down  into  the  garden.  He  gathered 
quite  a  variety  of  seeds,  which,  as  he  care- 


ANOTHER   MISADVENTURE.  205 

fully  collected,  he  inclosed  in  little  square 
envelopes  and  carried  into  the  summer- 
house,  where  he  labeled  them,  "  Mignion- 
ette,"  "  Larkspur,"  "  Dianthus,"  or  what 
ever  else  was  the  name  of  the  species. 

The  hours  passed  by  more  rapidly  than 
he  believed  possible ;  and  although  he 
thought  over  and  repented  of  all  his  late 
silly  acts,  which  had  subjected  him  to  so 
many  mortifications,  and  caused  his  pres 
ent  disappointment,  he  admitted  that  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life  he  had  found  out 
the  pleasure  of  being  usefully  employed. 

"  I  do  wish  I  had  not  been  such  a  block 
head  as  to  try  to  run  away ;  only  for  that 
I  should  be  shaking  down  nuts,  driving 
the  little  wagon,  or  sailing  on  the  creek 
with  the  other  boys.  And  to  think  how 
nearly  I  was  tempted  to  run  away  again 
to-day !  O,  but  I  am  glad  I  did  not.  I 
could  never  have  looked  Mr.  Hubert  in 
the  face ;  and  Aunt  Pattie,  only  to  think 
how  good  she  is !  I  could  hardly  help  at 
dinner  time  telling  her  how  near  I  was 
running  away.  One  thing  is  certain  :  let 
me  do  as  I  will,  I  am  determined  always 


206  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

to  tell  the  truth,  for  I  have  had  enough  of 
lying." 

His  task  was  finished,  his  papers  folded 
up  and  marked,  and  he  was  once  more  at 
leisure  to  do  as  he  pleased.  His  back  was 
weary  from  stooping,  and  he  began  to 
think  of  going  into  the  house  and  finish 
ing  "  The  Young  Marooners."  But  it  was 
still  early,  the  sunshine  was  so  inviting,  and 
besides,  Aun  t  Pattie  had  said  she  would  call 
him.  So  he  thought  it  would  be  a  nice 
thing  if  he  could  climb  up  the  garden 
wall  and  sit  upon  the  top,  which  being 
rather  broad  and  provided  with  a  board 
covering,  formed  quite  an  eligible  place 
for  a  look-out.  The  wall  was  rather 
high,  but  Harry,  aided  by  a  step-ladder 
and  a  little  effort,  was  soon  seated  on 
the  top. 

A  pleasant  sight  met  his  eye.  Directly 
outside  the  garden  was  a  meadow,  in  the 
midst  of  which  ran  a  clear  brook;  the 
banks  were  fringed  with  willows  which 
had  not  yet  lost  their  foliage,  and  the 
grass  was  green  as  though  wearing  the 
first  verdure  of  spring.  It  was  not  the 


ANOTHER   MISADVENTURE.  207 

charms  of  nature,  however,  that  arrested 
Harry's  attention,  and  made  him  forget 
that  many  tedious  hours  were  yet  to  be 
passed  before  his  companions  would  re 
turn.  Most  probably  he  would  be  asleep, 
for  as  there  was  now  full  moon,  they 
might  be  tempted  to  stay  late,  and  Mr. 
Hubert  had  said  something  about  the 
night  air. 

Harry  forgot  all  about  them  and  the 
festival,  for  down  in  the  meadow,  near 
the  stream,  he  saw  several  boys,  ap 
parently  of  the  working  class,  in  close 
conversation  with  each  other,  as  if  dis 
cussing  some  important  matter.  It  soon 
became  evident  what  that  matter  was  ; 
for  the  number,  originally  four,  gradually 
increased  to  that  of  twelve,  the  stragglers 
coming  in  from  different  directions.  They 
were  going  to  play  soldiers,  but  their  mil 
itary  display  was  of  the  rudest  kind,  for 
they  had  no  uniform,  arms,  drum,  or  fife ; 
and  the  only  distinguishing  mark  between 
officers  and  men  was,  that  the  captain 
wore  a  long  chicken  feather  in  his  straw 
hat,  and  the  other  officers  sprigs  of  green. 


208  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

The  captain,  two  lieutenants,  and  the 
drummer,  the  four  who  arrived  first  at 
the  meadow,  were  from  the  neighboring 
village,  the  others  were  farm-boys  in  the 
neighborhood,  who  had  stolen  a  holiday 
while  their  employers  were  at  the  harvest 
festival. 

Childhood  is  very  inventive  in  discover 
ing  substitutes  for  what  they  want  in 
their  pastimes  ;  for  instance,  a  little  fellow 
once  playing  baker  substituted  an  old 
portmanteau  for  a  kneading  trough,  and 
a  closet  for  an  oven  ;  and  these  boys,  igno 
rant  as  they  were  in  most  things,  showed 
themselves  not  less  possessed  of  the  fac 
ulty  to  contrive.  Instead  of  a  gun,  each 
one  was  armed  with  a  stout  hazel  rod  ;  a 
cotton  handkerchief,  on  which  was  painted 
a  ship  in  bright  colors  and  the  words 
"  Rule  Britannia,"  and  not  at  all  suggest 
ive  of  American  notions  as  signified  by 
the  stars  and  stripes,  served  for  a  flag. 
This,  tied  by  one  corner  on  the  end  of 
a  tall  switch,  was  raised  aloft  by  the  bear 
er,  who  strutted  rather  than  marched,  with 
an  air  that  showed  he  thought  himself  of 


ANOTHER   MISADVENTUEE.  209 

vast  importance.  Another  member  of 
the  little  troop,  who  was  also  quite  sensi 
ble  of  the  honor  of  his  office,  was  the 
drummer.  In  those  early  days  the  now 
common  article  of  a  child's  drum  was  un 
known  ;  but  the  boy  was  inventive,  and 
made  his  own — we  were  about  to  say — 
drum  ;  it  was,  however,  more  like  a  gong, 
which  instrument  of  Turkish  music  the 
lad  having  never  seen,  certainly  did  not 
try  to  imitate  ;  his  idea  was  altogether  an 
original  one.  It  was  nothing  more  than 
the  bottom  of  an  old  tin  kettle,  in  which 
he  had  bored  a  hole,  and  suspended  by  a 
string  of  red  flannel  listing  round  his 
neck ;  and,  beating  on  it  lustily  with  two 
hickory  sticks,  he  certainly  made  a  noise, 
if  it  was  not  music.  Instead  of  the  usual 
fife  accompaniment,  two  of  the  boys 
whistled  or  sung,  not  always  in  the  same 
time  or  tune ;  but  as  the  young  recruits 
inarched  to  the  music  the  three  made 
without  objecting,  it  made  no  difference, 
and  just  served  as  well  as  a  regular  drum 
and  fife,  and  they  were  as  happy  in  their 
sport  as  if  they  were  West  Point  cadets, 


210  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

practicing  for  amusement.  Their  march 
ing  was  such  as  might  be  expqfcted,  with 
out  rule  or  order,  or  knowing  anything 
about  "left,"  "right,"  "carry  arms,"  "or 
der  arms,"  and  so  forth ;  every  one  went 
his  own  way,  quite  satisfied  to  keep  behind 
the  drum  instead  of  getting  before  it. 

Harry,  who  had  seen  many  a  military 
parade,  was  highly  amused  to  watch  this 
awkward  troop ;  and  as  his  naturally 
buoyant  spirit  rose  at  the  sight,  he  forgot 
his  late  adventure,  repentance,  sickness, 
and  Mr.  Hubert.  He  wras  the  old  Harry 
Kingsley  again,  and  became  filled  with 
the  same  desire  to  rule  as  he  had  been  at 
home.  Finding  the  captain  did  not  at  all 
understand  his  business,  he  was  seized 
with  a  desire  to  teach  "  the  awkward  fel 
lows  "  their  exercise,  the  terms  of  which 
he  knew.  "  They  don't  mind  their  cap 
tain  at  all,"  said  he  to  himself,  "but  they 
will  surely  obey  me ;  he  is  a  boor,  and  I 
am  a  gentleman." 

But  while  he  thus  thought  about  teach 
ing  those  boys  submission  to  his  will,  it 
never  occurred  to  him  that  he  was  in  the 


No.  703. 


Henry  playing  Soldier. 


ANOTHER   MISADVENTURE.  215 

face,"  he  turned  to  the  left,  and  coming 
suddenly  upon  the  one  next  him,  would 
knock  him  down. 

"  You  are  the  greatest  blockhead  I  ever 
saw,"  cried  Harry,  at  last  getting  out  of 
patience;  "  why  don't  you  do  as  I  tell 
you  ?  Don't  you  know  your  right  hand 
from  your  left  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  I  do,"  said  the  lad,  "  this 
is  the  right ;"  but  instead  of  turning  in 
that  direction,  he  swayed  round  to  the 
left  and  threw  the  whole  rank  in  confu 
sion. 

"I  do  believe  you  are  doing  so  just  to 
provoke  me,"  cried  Harry,  now  seriously 
angry ;  and  going  up  to  the  refractory 
soldier,  he  gave  him  a  box  on  the  ears  as 
well  as  the  command,  "  To  the  right  about, 
face!" 

"I  won't  face  about  right  for  you,"  cried 
the  little  rebel ;  "  what  right  have  I  to  do 
what  you  tell  me  ?" 

"  Because  I  am  your  captain,  and  have 
a  right  to  command  you,"  said  Harry  in 
a  passion ;  "  so  if  you  do  not  obey  me  I 
will  strike  you  again." 
14 


216  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"Will  yon?"  said  the  lad,  "I  would 
like  yon  to  try  that  ere  again,"  and  he 
began  rubbing  his  hands  as  if  preparing 
for  battle;  but  not  receiving  any  encour 
agement  from  his  fellows,  he  once  more 
took  his  place  quietly. 

"Attention!  to  the  left!"  commanded 
our  self-willed  hero  ;  but  Steve  Kelly  (for 
that  was  the  boy's  name)  did  not  now 
trouble  himself  to  obey ;  he  marched  just 
where  he  pleased,  here  and  there,  before 
the  drum,  beside  the  captain,  or  took  the 
corporal's  place  in  the  rear.  Some  of  the 
boys  laughed,  and  Harry  now  becoming 
very  angry,  lost  all  control  over  his  tem 
per.  "  Did  I  not  command  you  to  turn 
to  the  left?"  he  cried,  as  he  struck  the  boy 
a  pretty  smart  blow  on  the  shoulders  with 
the  rod  he  held  in  place  of  a  sword. 

Steve  Kelly  was  much  smaller  than 
Harry,  but  he  was  very  stout  and  had  a 
strong  pair  of  fists,  which  he  well  knew 
how  to  use  in  the  way  of  fighting.  On 
feeling  the  blow,  he  turned  quickly  round 
on  the  self- constituted  captain,  and  snatch 
ing  the  hazel  rod  out  of  his  hand,  began 


ANOTHER    MISADVENTURE.  217 

to  switch  him  roundly,  the  blows  follow 
ing  each  other  in  such  quick  succession 
that  Harry,  overcome  with  pain  and  sur 
prise,  was  entirely  deprived  of  his  usual 
self-possession. 

"  So  you  must  command  me,  Mr.  Up 
start,"  repeated  the  rebellious  soldier 
again  and  again  ;  "  turn  about  is  fair  play  ; 
I'll  do  as  I  please,  and  larn  you  to  keep 
your  orders  to  yourself." 

The  other  boys,  recovering  from  the  sur 
prise  occasioned  by  the  suddenness  of  the 
transaction,  now  began  to  interfere. 
"  Leave  off,  Steve,  or  you  will  catch  it," 
cried  one.  "  Farmer  Steele  will  hear  all 
about  it,  and  give  you  an  awful  beating 
for  coming  here  to  the  meadow  instead  of 
watching  the  cattle." 

"  Yes,"  said  another,  "  and  what  do  you 
think  will  Parson  Hubert  say  when  he 
hears  how  you  have  beaten  one  of  his 
boys  ?" 

"  I  know  very  well  what  he  will  say  ; 
the  one  who  began  the  fight  was  the 
worst,  and  he  hit  me  first,  so  I'll  hit  back, 
and  I  don't  care  what  anybody  will  say  ;  I 


218  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

aint  going  to  let  myself  be  hit  by  any  one, 
even  if  he  does  pretend  to  be  a  gentle 
man.  I'll  give  it  to  him  now  for  all  his 
fine  clothes,  and  larn  him  to  keep  himself 
to  himself." 

As  he  thus  spoke,  he  continued  to  use 
his  hazel  switch  as  vigorously  as  ever. 

Harry  was  not  a  coward,  but  he  was 
weak  from  his  recent  sickness,  and  having 
no  means  of  defense  against  the  blows 
thus  rained  down  upon  his  back  and 
shoulders,  he  found  himself  obliged  to 
beat  a  hasty  retreat,  which  he  did,  follow 
ed  by  his  enraged  enemy  even  to  the 
garden  wall.  His  face  glowed  for  shame 
for  his  defeat,  and  his  back  smarted  with 
pain  bestowed  by  the  strokes  of  the  hard 
switch ;  but  his  mortification  rose  to  the 
highest  pitch  only  when  the  other  boys 
raised  a  shout  of  laughter  when  the  con 
queror  rejoined  them. 

Anxious  to  shut  out  the  now  hateful 
sight  of  the  meadow,  and  drown  the  noise 
of  the  rejoicing  victor  over  his  defeat,  he 
climbed  hastily  up  to  the  top  of  the  wall 
and  jumped  down  on  the  inside.  Agita- 


ANOTHER    MISADVENTURE.  219 

ted  and  exhausted,  bis  movement  was  too 
hasty ;  he  fell  and  broke  one  of  the  small 
bones  of  his  arm.  Mrs.  Hubert,  who 
long  since  had  thought  it  time  he  should 
come  in,  had  called  him  repeatedly,  and 
now,  uneasy  at  receiving  no  answer,  had 
come  to  the  window  to  look  if  he  was  still 
in  the  garden.  Maybe  he  had  run  away 
again?  No,  she  was  at  the  window  just 
in  time  to  see  him  fall,  and  forgetting 
her  own  indisposition,  in  a  moment  was 
beside  him.  Eaising  him  up  and  kindly 
inquiring  what  was  the  matter,  she  re 
ceived  no  answer  but  tears;  but  however 
ignorant  of  what  had  happened  beyond 
the  wall,'  she  was  soon  acquainted  with 
the  injury  to  the  arm.  Therefore,  kindly 
forbearing  to  trouble  him  with  questions, 
she  helped  him  into  the  house,  arranged 
a  couch  and  pillows  on  the  sofa,  and  sent 
Nicholas  off  with  the  carriage  for  Doctor 
S.,  who  fortunately  was  found  at  home. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  doctor,  "  another  ad 
venture,  Master  Harry  ?  Now  don't  cry, 
lad  ;  we'll  soon  have  it  all  right  again." 
And  getting  his  splints  and  bandages 


220  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

ready  the  arm  was  set,  not,  however, 
without  a  great  deal  of  pain  to  the  owner, 
who,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  suffering 
occasioned  by  the  operation,  could  not 
help  confessing  to  himself  that  he  could 
not  blame  the  boy,  as  the  accident  was 
another  consequence  of  his  own  self-will. 


A   DAWNING    OF    BETTEK    THINGS.       221 

% 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

A   DAWNING    OF    BETTER    THINGS. 

As  Harry  seemed  a  good  deal  exhaust 
ed  Dr.  S.  recommended  quiet;  and  as 
Mrs.  Hubert  never  made  any  bustle 
about  anything  he  was  soon  left  to  the 
enjoyment  or  rather  condemnation  of  his 
own  thoughts,  Nicholas,  after  taking  Dr. 
S.  home,  was  to  go  to  Mr.  Harrison's  for 
Mr.  Hubert,  who  returned  with  him,  leav 
ing  the  three  boys  to  come  by  themselves 
at  a  later  hour  when  the  festivities  would 
be  ended.  In  the  mean  time  Harry  had 
leisure  to  recall,  not  only  the  occurrences 
of  this  day,  but  many  others  which  had 
happened  long  ago,  and  which,  although 
occasioning  him  great  pain  at  the  time, 
had  nearly  faded  out  from  his  memory. 
First  in  the  rank  came  old  Walter  Bow- 
ley  ;  how  he  must  have  suffered  from  the 
blows  given  by  the  hoofs  of  the  unman 
ageable  horse;  then  little  Bill  Allen  with 


222  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

his  wounded  leg ;  next  poor  Barney,  who 
lost  his  place  through  his  good-natured 
yielding  to  a  request  solely  dictated  by 
self-will;  and,  in  all  that  he  had  suffered 
lately,  he  saw  by  the  light  that  was  now 
breaking  in  upon  his  mental  darkness 
how  justly  he  deserved  his  present  suffer 
ing,  and  that  it  was  his  own  misconduct 
had  brought  the  severe  chastisement  upon 
him. 

He  was  glad  to  be  alone,  for  he  could 
weep  to  his  heart's  content.  He  had 
now  been  made  to  feel  what  it  wras  to 
suffer  from  the  stronger,  even  if  not  the 
just  power;  but  he  could  not  declare 
himself  injured,  for  he  had  begun  the 
battle  and  he  had  no  right  to  interrupt 
the  play  of  the  boys  or  strike  Steve.  The 
boy  had  only  done  what  any  other  of  his 
class  would  ;  he,  being  assailed,  had  ta 
ken  the  right  given  by  might  into  his 
own  hands,  and,  as  is  generally  the  case, 
dealt  forth  double  measure. 

Eepentant,  and  determined  to  tell  the 
truth,  Harry  related  the  whole  to  Mr. 
Hubert  on  his  return,  keeping  back  noth- 


A   DAWNING   OF   BETTER   THINGS.       223 

ing,  not  even  the  temptation,  to  which  lie 
had  nearly  yielded,  of  breaking  his  word 
and  running  away.  He  begged  that  Mr. 
Hubert  would  not  say  anything  to  Far 
mer  Steele,  for  it  was  entirely  through 
his  own  love  of  having  his  own  way  that 
he  had  disturbed  the  boys  in  their  harm 
less  sport ;  that  when  he  had  mingled  in 
it  they  had  yielded  gently  to  his  rule,  and 
that  Steve,  although  awkward  and  stub 
born,  did  well  enough  until  he  was  pro 
voked  out  of  his  good  behavior  by  his 
own  passionate  and  arrogant  conduct. 
"I  struck  him  first,"  continued  Harry, 
"  that  made  him  angry,  and  he  didn't 
try  to  do  right ;  but  it  was  not  until  I  hit 
him  a  second  time  that  he  turned  upon 
me,  so  please  don't  say  an}^thing  to  Far 
mer  Steele,  for  may  be  he  might  flog  him, 
and  he  is  not  to  blame.  It  is  altogether 
my  own  fault  that  I  am  suffering." 

Greatly  pleased  to  hear  such  an  ac 
knowledgment  from  the  late  unruly  boy, 
Mr.  Hubert  took  advantage  of  his  softened 
mood  to  impress  upon  his  mind  the  import 
ance  of  self-government,  and  the  necessity 


224  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

of  keeping  constant  watch  against  falling 
into  error.  "Moral  heroism,"  said  he, 
"  is  a  great  thing,  for  '  he  that  ruleth  his 
spirit  is  better  than  he  that  taketh  a  city, 
and  he  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better 
than  the  mighty.'  You  see,  Harry,  how 
many  times  your  inconsiderate  doings 
have  brought  you  into  trouble ;  there 
fore,  in  future,  take  time  to  think  before 
you  act,  since  '  he  that  is  slow  to  wrath  is 
of  great  understanding,  but  he  that  is 
hasty  of  spirit  exalteth  folly.' ': 

This  advice,  given  in  such  a  kind,  fa 
therly  manner,  made  a  deep  impression 
on  Harry.  He  expected  reproof,  stern 
and  harsh  reproof;  but  instead  he  had 
received  a  mild  but  impressive  admoni 
tion,  to  which  his  heart  responded.  As 
sured  that  his  teacher,  whom  he  had  hith 
erto  regarded  as  a  tyrant,  was  his  best 
friend,  he  from  this  time  began  to  love 
him  as  much  as  he  before  had  hated 
him. 

His  comrades,  whom  he  had  at  first 
dubbed  "  common  fellows,"  and  thought 
were  by  no  means  on  an  equality  with 


A    DAWNING    OF   BETTER   THINGS.       225 

himself,  because  they  brushed  their  jack 
ets  and  cleaned  their  own  boots,  came 
in  for  a  large  share  of  his  affection  also, 
for,  as  he  was  again  confined  to  his  room, 
they  gave  up  their  plays  in  the  open  air 
and  remained  much  with  him.  Pitying 
his  suffering,  and  lamenting  the  tedious 
hours  he  must  pass  alone,  they  tried  in 
every  possible  way  to  amuse  and  make 
him  forget  himself.  They  read  aloud,  or 
else  related  stories  which  they  had  read,  and 
mostly  selected  those  of  such  interest  as 
made  Harry  for  the  time  forget  the  pain 
of  his  arm.  Nevertheless  he  often  won 
dered  that  boys  of  their  age  should  choose 
tales  so  full  of  instruction  as  well  as 
amusing,  and  at  last  came  to  the  conclu 
sion  that  Mr.  Hubert  had  a  good  deal  to 
do  with  the  selection. 

All  these  things  working  together  for 
good,  and  Harry,  without  any  counter 
acting  influence,  having  time  to  think,  in 
a  short  time  became  completely  changed  ; 
his  arrogant  bearing  vanished,  his  self- 
love  was  conquered,  and  his  wayward 
temper  transformed  into  mildness  and 


226  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

forbearance.  Instead  of  believing  that 
every  one  was  bound  to  obey  his  bidding, 
and  receiving  kind  offices  as  his  right 
without  making  any  return,  he  learned  to 
recognize  and  respect  the  rights  of  others, 
and  showed  himself  grateful  for  any  fa 
vors  his  young  companions  conferred 
upon  him. 

His  present  reformation  did  not,  how 
ever,  render  him  forgetful  of  his  past 
errors.  The  indulgence  of  his  self-will 
had  been  productive  of  injury  to  others ; 
but  how  to  atone  for  them  he  inquired 
of  himself.  Old  Walter's  severe  wound 
from  the  horse,  Bill  Allen's  .injured  leg, 
and  poor  Barney's  discharge — ought  he 
not  to  do,  or  at  least  try  to  do  something 
for  them  all  ?  He  wrote  with  great  diffi 
culty,  for  although  it  was  his  left  arm 
that  was  broken  he  was  obliged  to  keep 
it  in  a  sling  by  which  the  free  move 
ment  of  the  right  was  somewhat  im 
peded.  Nevertheless  he  wrote  a  long 
letter  to  his  mother,  in  which  he  confessed 
everything,  and  told  her  how  much  he 
had  suffered  and  the  great  change  he  had 


A    DAWNING    OF    BETTER    THINGS.       227 

undergone,  adding  that  she  need  never 
fear  his  vexing  her  again  by  falsehood 
and  deception.  f~In  conclusion  he  begged 
her  to  give  his  little  silver  watch  to  Bill 
Allen,  and  to  ask  old  Walter  to  take 
Barney  into  his  service  again.  "  If  he 
does  not  I  will  not  believe  that  he  has 
forgiven  me.  I  know  now,"  he  wrote, 
"  what  it  is  to  be  sick  and  in  pain,  and  as 
I  cannot  undo  what  is  done  I  wish  to 
make  up  for  it  by  every  means  in  my 
power.  So,  dear  mother,  please  give  him 
the  little  watch,  and  if  he  values  it  half 
as  much  as  I  did  he  will  forget  how  badly 
I  treated  him,  and  not  be  angry  with  me 
any  longer ;  and  old  Walter — I  cannot 
send  him  anything,  but  I  know  if  you 
ask  him  he  will  forgive  me." 

Harry  now  numbered  the  days  until  he 
should  receive  his  mother's  answer,  so 
greatly  he  longed  to  see  her  handwriting 
once  more,  although  he  feared  her  dis 
pleasure  on  account  of  his  attempt  to  run 
away  and  his  late  adventure  with  the 
peasant  boys,  which  had  caused  his  pres 
ent  suffering. 


228  PAESON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"If  she  is  angry,"  said  he  to  himself,  "I 
cannot  help  it ;  but  I  have  confessed  the 
whole  truth  to  her,  and  Mr.  Hubert  says 
that  to  confess  our  faults  is  the  first  step 
toward  right ;  so  as  her  anger  is  nothing 
more  than  I  deserve,  I  will  bear  her  re 
proofs  patiently,  and  in  future  try  not  to 
deserve  them." 

Days  passed,  but  no  answer  came ; 
Harry  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it ; 
his  fears  portrayed  her  as  being  ill  in  con 
sequence  of  hearing  of  the  accident  to  his 
arm.  His  anxiety  had  risen  to  the  high 
est  pitch,  when  one  day  it  was  suddenly 
changed  into  joy  by  seeing  a  carriage  that 
much  resembled  his  mother's  drive  into 
the  court-yard.  Yes,  it  surely  was  their 
carriage ;  there  was  old  Moses  in  the 
coachman's  seat,  and  those  horses,  if  they 
were  not  Ranter  and  Lightfoot,  were  so 
very  much  like  them  as  to  be  readily  mis 
taken. 

There  was  no  mistake;  the  carriage 
stopped  in  front  of  the  door,  and  Mrs, 
Kingsley,  the  invalid,  who  had  not  left  her 
chamber  for  years,  stepped  from  it. 


A   DAWNING    OF    BETTER    THINGS.       220 

Harry's  heart  beat  wildly  ;  he  would 
gladly  have  flown  to  meet  her,  but  sur 
prise  and  joy  rooted  him  to  the  spot,  and 
she  had  entered  the  house  and  was  seated 
in  the  parlor  before  he  had  summoned 
sufficient  courage  to  go  down  stairs. 

The  meeting  between  the  mother  and 
son  was  such  as  might  be  supposed,  joyful 
in  the  extreme,  although  Harry  stood  be 
fore  Mrs.  Kingsley  with  a  broken  arm, 
pale,  and  bearing  strong  traces  of  recent 
sickness.  But  his  mother,  now  viewing 
everything  through  a  new  and  more  health 
ful  medium,  was  convinced  that  his  whole 
moral  being  was  in  a  salutary  state-,  and 
the  longer  she  remained  with  him,  to  her 
great  joy,  found  her  confidence  as  to 
the  sincerity  of  his  reformation  increase. 
Mr.  Hubert  told  her  all  that  had  occurred ; 
Harry  also  made  a  most  impartial  state 
ment  of  facts,  keeping  nothing  back,  and 
not  endeavoring  to  excuse  himself;  and 
as  she  noticed  the  change  in  his  looks,  he 
begged  her  not  to  be  uneasy  at  his  pale 
ness,  which  he  said  was  only  caused  by 
confinement,  as  he  was  not  sick  now. 


230  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

u  Mr.  Hubert  wrote  to  me  that  you  had 
a  bad  cold,"  said  she,  "  but  at  the  same 
time  said  that  it  was  nothing  serious,  that 
there  was  not  the  least  occasion  to  be  un 
easy.  But  now  you  are  looking  so  pale  I 
will  give  you  your  choice,  to  go  home  with 
me  and  stay  until  your  arm  is  quite  well, 
or  remain  here.  Mr.  Hubert  also  says 
'  he  wishes  you  to  do  as  you  please.' ' 

Harry  was  silent  for  a  little  while ;  home, 
with  all  the  liberty  he  could  enjoy  there, 
the  woods,  the  fields,  the  pony  rides ;  and 
now,  being  autumn,  the  fruit  pulling,  ci 
der  making,  and  nut  gathering,  all  grouped 
in  one  enticing  picture,  came  vividly  be 
fore  him,  and  for  a  moment  he  was  tempted 
to  say,  "  I'll  go."  But  his  better  angel 
prevailed  ;  the  struggle  between  inclina 
tion  and  duty  was  severe  ;  but  resolute 
now  not  to  yield  to  self,  he  determined  to 
remain,  and  not  expose  himself  to  the 
danger  of  falling  back  into  his  old  habits. 

"  JSTo,  mother,"  said  he  candidly,  u  I 
should  love  dearly  to  be  with  you,  but  I 
think  it  is  best  for  me  to  stay  here ;  they 
are  all  as  kind  to  me  as  it  is  possible  to  be. 


A   DAWNING   OF   BETTER   THINGS.      231 

and  I  could  not  in  my  sickness  have  been 
better  cared  for  if  I  had  been  at  home.  1 
have  given  Mr.  Hubert  much  trouble,  but 
I  have  now  learned  to  know  myself  better, 
and  what  are  my  greatest  faults,  faults 
which  I  never  thought  of  overcoming 
when  I  was  at  home.  But  I  have  not  far 
enough  conquered  them  so  as  not  to  be  in 
danger  from  temptation,  as  my  broken 
arm  proves.  But,  dear  mother,  I  am  going 
to  try  to  do  everything  in  my  power  to 
make  you  happy ;  and  if  Mr.  Hubert  is 
entirely  satisfied  with  me  during  the  re 
mainder  of  the  term,  you  may  send  for 
rne  at  Christmas,  as  that  is  a  holiday  time. 
I  am  so  far  behind  the  other  boys  in  my 
studies  that  I  am  often  ashamed,  and  my 
arm  is  not  now  so  painful  but  that  I  can 
study." 

Mrs.  Kingsley  could  not  conceal  her 
surprise.  Was  this  her  wayward  Harry, 
subdued  and  brought  within  the  bounds  of 
reason  in  so  short  a  time  ?  How  was  it 
done?  Only  by  the  magic  of  a  firm, 
steady,  and  consistent  rule,  and  a  teaching 
by  love  and  meekness,  which  is  the  spirit 
15 


232  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

of  the  great  Christian  Lawgiver.  Al 
though  scarcely  able  to  realize  so  great  a 
change,  she  blessed  the  day  when  she  gave 
her  son  up  to  the  guidance  of  Parson  Hu 
bert.  It  had  cost  her  a  great  effort  to 
part  with  him,  to  send  him  so  far  from 
home,  and  so  entirely  against  his  will ;  but 
it  had  succeeded,  and  she  felt  herself  fully 
repaid  for  the  sacrifice  she  had  made. 
Truly,  the  seed  had  been  sown  in  tears, 
but  now  she  was  reaping  the  fruit  in  joy. 
She  prepared  for  her  journey  home 
ward,  and  it  was  performed  with  a  light 
ness  of  heart  to  which  she  had  long  been 
a  stranger.  She  was  quite  happy  as  far 
as  Harry  was  concerned ;  and  feeling  that 
she  also  had  been  much  to  blame  in  the 
indulgence  of  useless  grief  for  the  dead, 
instead  of  doing  her  duty  to  the  living, 
she  began  also  to  consider  in  what  way 
she  could  best  employ  the  wealth  which 
God  had  given  her  in  benefiting  others. 
She  compared  her  life  with  that  of  Parson 
Hubert,  and  decided  that  his  condition, 
humble  and  obscure  as  it  was,  was  prefer- 
able  to  her  own,  for  he  was  discharging 


A    DAWNING    OF    BETTER   THINGS.       233 

the  duties  belonging  to  life  most  faithfully, 
whereas  she  felt  herself  terribly  delin 
quent. 

Harry  saw  his  mother  depart,  it  is  true, 
with  regret  J*but  it  is  astonishing  what  en 
couragement  and  cheering  there  is  in  a 
right  performance  of  duty.  He  stood  on 
the  steps  and  watched  the  carriage  that 
bore  her  away  until  it  was  hidden  by  the 
intervening  trees,  and  going  back  to  his 
room,  began  to  study  his  lesson,  and  thus 
once  more  conquered  self,  which  would 
have  required  time  to  grieve. 

And  now,  resolute  to  tread  the  path  of 
right,  he  kept  his  word  with  Mr.  Hubert. 
From  the  day  of  his  adventure  with  the 
peasant  boys  he  was  altogether  changed ; 
the  visit  of  his  mother  had  done  him  good, 
for  he  saw  her  no  less  changed  than  him 
self,  and  the  evident  delight  she  exhibited 
at  witnessing  his  transformation,  was  a 
great  incentive  in  determining  him  to  con 
tinue  the  course  he  had  begun,  and,  as  he 
could  not  help  confessing  to  himself,  made 
him  happier  than  he  had  ever  been  before. 

There  were  times,  however,  when  he 


234  PARSON   HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

was  sorely  tried,  for  no  self-conquest  is  so 
easily  obtained  that  there  are  riot  many 
temptations  to  fall  before  the  triumph  is 
complete  ;  but  he  now  knew  what  was  his 
besetting  sin,  and  kept  on  his  guard,  and 
prayed  daily  for  help  from  Heaven. 
When  tempted  to  indulge  in  a  display  of 
self-will,  he  had  only  to  recall  the  scene 
in  the  meadow,  and  the  humiliating  lesson 
given  him  by  Steve  Kelly,  which  had  led 
to  such  a  painful  result  as  breaking  his 
arm. 

There  were  also  many  occasions  which 
offered  themselves  for  telling  and  acting 
falsehoods,  or  perverting  the  truth  ;  many 
times  when  the  "  white  lie,  lie  of  neces 
sity,  or  fib"  as  he  had  been  used  to  call 
them,  might  have  been  spoken  ;  but  ris 
ing  superior  to  the  temptation,  he  avoided 
the  snare.  Formerly  he  had  indulged  in 
their  use  without  compunction  ;  but  now 
conscience  was  awake,  and  when  her  still 
small  voice  admonished  he  obeyed  her 
warnings.  He  remembered  what  Mr. 
Hubert  had  said  :  "  Be  sure  your  sin  will 
find  you  out,"  and  his  own  experience 


A  DAWNING   OF  BETTER  THINGS.        235 

showed  him  that  one  falsehood  is  the 
fruitful  parent  of  many,  and  brought 
sorer  punishment  than  an  open  confession 
of  the  truth. 

As  the  days  passed  by,  and  each  one 
made  the  performance  of  duty  easier,  he 
learned  to  yield  implicit  obedience  to  his 
teacher,  and  abate  all  his  haughtiness  to 
his  school-mates,  so  that  at  length  he  had 
nothing  to  conceal  or  confess.  Convinced 
that  Mr.  Hubert  had  no  other  end  in 
view,  in  whatever  restraint  he  saw  proper 
to  impose  on  his  pupils,  but  their  ultimate 
good,  he  learned  to  love  him,  and  as 
"  there  is  no  fear  in  love,"  for  "  he  that 
fcareth  is  not  perfect  in  love,"  he  now 
rendered  his  obedience  readily  and  felt 
his  duties  no  burden. 

And  so,  dear  reader,  the  late  spoiled 
and  wayward  Harry,  under  the  supervis 
ion  of  a  conscientious  teacher,  aided  by 
the  example  of  the  other  boys,  and  sus 
tained  by  his  own  determination  to  con 
quer  all  his  evil  propensities,  became  en 
tirely  changed.  Those  acts  of  arrogance, 
self-will,  and  deception  in  which  he  had 


236  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

indulged  only  brought  perplexity  and 
pain ;  but  now  that  he  had  turned  from 
evil  and  was  pursuing  the  right,  he  felt 
himself  rewarded  in  the  enjoyment  of  his 
present  happiness,  which  was  a  thousand 
times  greater  than  he  had  had  even  in 
the  successful  prosecution  of  his  own  will. 


A   CHRISTMAS    PARTY.  237 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

A    CHEISTMAS    PARTY. 

HARRY,  as  we  have  already  told  our 
young  readers,  on  at  first  coming  to  Mr. 
Hubert's  rather  looked  down  on  the  boys 
as  inferiors,  but  at  length  became  much 
attached  to  them,  but  more  particularly 
to  little  Ned,  whose  pleasant  temper  and 
kindly  ways  made  him  a  favorite  with 
everybody.  Harry  was  much  the  elder ; 
but  Ned,  who  had  been  studying  his 
books  while  our  hero  was  ranging  in  the 
woods  or  planning  mischief,  was  greatly 
above  him  in  learning.  Not  only  did  the 
kind  little  fellow  assist  him  in  getting  his 
lessons,  help  him  in  all  his  difficulties, 
and  in  many  things  set  him  a  good  ex 
ample,  but  he  bore  with  all  his  humors 
patiently,  and  if  he  saw  him  sad,  had  al 
ways  some  tale  or  anecdote  to  tell  in 
order  to  cheer  him.  Harry  felt  that  he 
owed  him  a  great  deal ;  for  he  had  done 


238  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

more  for  him  than  any  other  lad,  whether 
relative,  dependent,  or  companion. 

Ned  was  not  inferior  to  Harry  in  rank' 
or  station.  He  was  an  orphan  ;  and  losing 
his  parents  at  a  very  early  age,  he  scarcely 
recollected  them.  He  had  lived  with  his 
guardian  until  he  was  sent,  two  years  ago, 
to  Mr.  Hubert's  school,  and  since  then 
had  never  been  away.  He  saw  the  other 
boys  go  and  return  twice  every  year,  but 
he,  poor  fellow,  had  no  home  to  go  to. 
But  although,  affectionate  as  he  was,  he 
could  not  help  feeling  sad  as  he  contrasted 
his  lonely  lot  with  theirs,  there  was  no 
envy  mingled  in  it. 

One  day  while  Harry  was  still  nursing 
his  broken  arm,  ISTed  was  in  his  room,  and 
they  both  began  to  talk  of  the  approach 
ing  Christmas  holiday. 

"How  nice  it  will  be  to  get  home," 
said  Harry ;  "  my  mother  will  have  lots 
of  everything  good.  Are  you  going  home 
at  Christmas,  Ned  ?" 

"  No,  I  do  not  know  that  I  am  ;  I  have 
no  home  to  go  to^'  he  replied  sadly ; 
my  parents  are  dead  long  ago,  and  since 


A   CHEISTMAS   PARTY.  239 

my  guardian  sent  me  here,  two  years  ago, 
I  have  never  seen  him  or  been  sent  for." 

"  O  how  hard  !  what  a  cruel  man  he 
must  be,"  said  Harry  indignantly. 

"  O  no,"  said  the  little  fellow,  "  he 
never  was  cruel ;  maybe  he  is  a  little  in 
different,  but  Mr.  Hubert  says  he  takes 
great  care  of  my  property.  I  am  sure  I 
ought  to  thank  him  for  that,  as  well  as  for 
sending  me  here,  for  I  have  spent  my  va 
cations  very  happily  with  Mr.  Hubert 
and  Aunt  Patty.  Indeed,  Harry,  I  do 
not  think  I  could  love  my  own  mother 
better  than  I  love  Mrs.  Hubert,  she  has 
been  so  kind  to  me." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  Harry ;  I  shall 
never  forget  how  good  she  was  the  day 
when  I  broke  my  arm  ;  she  is  good  and 
no  mistake.  But,  Ned,  'if  I  was  in  your 
place,  after  a  while,  when  I  got  bigger, 
I'd  give  my  guardian  a  piece  of  my  mind 
about  his  neglecting  me  so." 

"  Indeed  I  won't,"  replied  Ned;  "I 
thank  him  for  what  he  has  done,  and 
aint  going  to  quarrel  with  him  for  what 
he  has  omitted.  He  might  have  used  and 


240  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

wasted  my  property,  which  he  has  not ; 
and  besides,  Mr.  Hubert  always  tells  me 
that  quarreling  never  does  any  good,  but 
a  soft  answer  turns  away  wrath." 

Harry  was  corrected  ;  he  was  silent  for 
a  few  minutes,  and  then  said,  "Ned,  how 
would  you  like  to  go  home  with  me? 
We  would  have  such  a  nice  time  to 
gether." 

"  O  Harry,"  replied  Ned,  his  black 
eyes  sparkling  at  the  thought  of  change, 
"  but  I  would  like  it ;  do  you  think  Mr. 
Hubert  will  let  me  go  ?  And  your  moth 
er  ?  Maybe  she  would  not  like  it.  Ah, 
Harry,  I  am  afraid  I  shant  get  leave  to." 

"  My  mother  will  be  glad  to  have  you, 
Ned,"  said  the  impulsive  Harry ;  "  and 
if  you  really  would  like  to  go,  I'll  ask  Mr. 
Hubert  this  very  evening  when  he  comes 
up  to  my  room." 

"Indeed,"  replied  Ned,  "there  is  no 
mistake  about  liking  to  go.  When  I  used 
to  see  Charley  and  Will  counting  the 
days  until  school  would  close,  and  seemed 
so  glad  to  get  home,  I  did  not  envy  them, 
but  just  felt  a  little  sad,  and  thought  I 


A    CHRISTMAS    PARTY.  241 

would  like  to  have  a  home  to  go  to.  But, 
indeed,  will  you  really  ask,  Harry  ?" 

"To  be  sure  I  will,  and  on  this  very 
evening  too,"  was  the  reply. 

Harry  was  as  good  as  his  word.  Since 
he  had  broken  his  arm,  Mr.  Hubert  had 
come  up  to  his  room  every  evening,  and 
so  our  hero  had  a  fine  opportunity  of 
preferring  his  request.  It  was  readily 
granted,  but  under  two  conditions :  the 
first  one  was,  to  write  to  his  mother  for 
her  sanction  ;  the  second,  that  he  should 
make  a  certain  proficiency  in  arithmetic, 
of  which  he  had  always  evinced  a  perfect 
abhorrence,  declaring  that  he  knew  he 
"  never  could  learn  to  cipher."  However, 
u  where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way." 
Love  knows  no  burdens,  and  Harry  ac 
complished  his  task  with  comparative 
ease,  because  he  set  himself  to  do  it  in 
earnest. 

Mr.  Hubert  professed  himself  satisfied, 
and  in  giving  Ned  permission  to  spend 
his  Christmas  vacation  at  Rushton  Fur 
nace,  bade  him  be  careful  to  maintain 
the  confidence  he  was  reposing  in  him. 


242  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

"  For  the  first  time,  my  son,"  said  he, 
"  you  are  left  to  your  own  guidance  ;  keep 
a  steady  rein  over  self,  trust  in  your  Sav 
iour,  and  you  will  do  well.  You  will 
have  to  go  out  into  the  world  ere  many 
years,  both  of  you,  as  men ;  therefore,  begin 
to  prepare  for  the  battle  that  awaits  you 
in  life  by  proving  yourself  steadfast  and 
trustworthy  as  boys." 

And  now  the  end  of  the  term  arrived  ; 
books  were  closed,  examinations  over, 
trunks  packed,  and  the  happy  boys  had 
only  to  await  the  several  messengers  who 
were  to  be  sent  to  convey  them  home. 
The  twenty-third  of  December  came,  and 
with  it  the  carriage  of  Mrs.  Kingsley.  It 
drew  up  in  front  of  the  house  almost  at 
the  same  time  as  another  which  was  sent 
for  Charley  and  William,  whose  parents 
lived  near  each  other.  O  the  joy  !  who 
can  describe  the  rapture  that  boys  feel 
when  vacation  time  comes,  and  they  are 
about  to  go  home,  "  they  have  been 
away  so  long."  And  yet  it  is  strange  but 
true,  they  are,  most  of  them,  equally 
glad  to  return  to  school. 


A    CHRISTMAS    PARTY.  243 

With  much  shaking  of  hands,  the  lads 
took  leave  of  each  other;  parting  how 
ever  with  real  regret  from  Mr.  Hubert 
and  Aunt  Patty,  and  promising  to  return 
as  soon  as  the  few  weeks'  vacation 
was  ended.  Little  Ned  was  almost  wild 
with  delight ;  an  excursion  like  this  was 
something  so  new  that  he  could  hardly 
realize  it  until  he  saw  the  carriage,  and 
Nicholas  bringing  his  trunk  and  strapping 
it  on  behind.  "Good-by,  Mr.  Hubert! 
Good-by,  auntie !  and  everybody,"  re 
sounded  until  they  reached  the  large 
gate. 

As  they  had  to  stay  one  night  on  the 
way,  an  old  servant  was  sent  to  take  care 
of  them.  Moses,  fhe  coachman,  managed 
the  horses,*and  the  weather  being  good, 
although  the  ground  was  covered  with 
snow,  the  journey  though  a  long  one 
was  most  pleasant.  Harry  contrasted  his 
present  cheerful  mood  with  the  sullenness 
he  exhibited  when  last  he  traveled  it  in 
company  of  Dr.  Martin,  and  he  felt  some 
what  ashamed  at  the  thought  of  meeting 
the  good  man  after  treating  him  so  rudely. 


244  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

Owing  to  a  slight  accident  to  one  of 
the  horses,  which  made  him  a  little  lame, 
it  was  late  on  Christmas  Eve  when  they 
reached  the  house  of  Mrs.  Kingsley ;  but 
that  house  presented  a  beautiful  sight  as 
the  carriage  drove  up  the  avenue.  Harry 
had  -been  accustomed  always  to  see  the 
front  dark,  for  the  parlors  had  been  shut 
up  ever  since  his  father's  death ;  but  now 
the  shutters  were  open,  and  light  streamed 
from  almost  every  window. 

"  There,  Ned,"  cried  Harry,  "  we  are  at 
home  ;  bring  yourself  in  as  soon  as  you 
can,  but  I  must  run  and  see  my  mother," 
and  leaving  his  companion  to  follow,  he 
jumped  out  of  the  carriage  and  ran  up  the 
steps  in  order  to  seek  her.  He  had  not 
far  to  go ;  uneasy  at  the  delay  of  the  trav 
elers,  she  had  heard  the  sound  of  wheels 
and  was  at  the  front  door  looking  out  for 
them.  We  will  not  describe  the  meeting 
between  the  mother  and  son  on  this  spot. 
They  had  parted  in  sorrow,  but  ail  now  was 
joy.  Ned  soon  followed  Harry  and  re 
ceived  a  most  cordial  reception. 

"  Arid  now,"  said  Mrs.  Kingsley,  after 


A    CHRISTMAS    PAKTY.  245 

hearing  the  cause  of  their  being  so  late, 
"  come  in  ;  supper  has  been  waiting  for  an 
hour,"  and  as  she  spoke  she  led  the  way 
into  the  parlor.  A  brilliant  sight  awaited 
them;  the  folding  doors  were  open,  a 
bright  wood  fire  was  burning  in  the  fire 
place,  and  a  large  Christmas  tree,  the  top 
of  which  reached  nearly  to  the  ceiling, 
sent  forth  its  aromatic  odor,  and,  rich  in 
abundance  of  fresh  and  verdant  foliage, 
gave  the  room  an  appearance  of  summer, 
which  contrasted  pleasantly  with  the  win 
try  scene  without. 

Supper  was  announced,  and  our  hun 
gry  boys  sat  down  to  a  substantial  meal, 
such  as  in  the  good  old  primitive  times 
folks  used  to  prepare  for  travelers  and  ex 
pected  them  to  eat.  And  on  this  occasion 
they  did  eat ;  shall  we  say  heartily  ?  No  ; 
like  hungry  boys,  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
see  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  good  meal. 

Supper  was  soon  dispatched,  and  once 
more  they  sought  the  parlor.  Harry 
thought  he  had  never  been  so  happy  in 
his  life.  The  servants  and  men  from  the 
furnace  were  all  assembled  to  greet  the 


246  PAKSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

young  heir ;  Mrs.  Kingsley  had  prepared 
a  gift  for  each,  and  in  receiving  the  unex 
pected  favor,  they  were  quite  as  happy  as 
he  was.  He  shook  hands  cordially  with 
all.  A  few  months  ago  he  would  not 
have  touched  those  rough  hands  for  any 
thing,  now  he  never  thought  whether  they 
were  hard  or  not ;  he  saw  nothing  but  the 
sincere  expression  of  kindness  manifested 
in  their  honest  faces. 

"Sure  enough,"  said  Jim  Stokes,  the 
groom,  after  they  left  the  room,  "  Master 
Harry  is  a  good  bit  changed.  I  mind  the 
day  he  rode  off  on  Rattler ;  he  gave  me 
a  hard  cut  over  the  hand.  I  think  he 
aint  as  proud  as  he  was,  for  he  thought 
himself  too  good  to  shake  hands  with  any 
of  us  then." 

"Well,"  rejoined  an  old  forgeman,  "  I 
always  thought  he  would  mend  ;  his  fa 
ther  was  a  good  man,  and  I  am  sure  I 
hope  he'll  be  like  him.  The  child  was 
left  pretty  much  to  his  own  will,  and  what 
could  you  expect  but  that  he  should  be 
heady. 

A  good  supper  had  been  provided  for 


A   CHRISTMAS   PAETY.  247 

them,  to  which  they  did  ample  justice ; 
and  the  kitchen  fire,  on  which  the  Christ-- 
mas  log  had  been  placed,  sending  forth  a 
cheerful  blaze,  offered  a  further  temptation 
to  remain.  Seated  around  the  hearth  and 
smoking  their  pipes,  they  remained  until 
the  housekeeper  sent  word  it  was  time  to 
shut  up  the  house.  They  discussed  our 
hero  and  his  late  pranks  at  some  length  ; 
the  remarks,  however,  were  by  no  means 
ill-natured,  for  most  of  them  regarded 
him  as  a  spirited  lad,  and  concluded  that 
he  would  do  well  yet;  for  "  a  young  colt 
would  canter,  whether  it  was  up  hill  or 
down  hill." 

We  will  not  detail  their  conversation, 
lest  our  readers  should  grow  weary,  but 
follow  the  family  into  the  parlor,  where 
the  bright  lights  were  still  sparkling  amid 
the  spiky  foliage  of  the  Christmas  tree,  the 
dark  green  of  which  formed  a  pleasing 
contrast  to  its  bright  colored  surround 
ings. 

But  who  is  that  sturdy  little  fellow 
standing  near  the  table,  squeezing  and 
crushing  his  cap  as  cruelly  as  if  he  wanted 
16 


248  PAKSO^    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

to  alter  its  shape  ?  Harry  recognized  him 
at  once  as  little  Bill  Allen,  the  miller's 
son ;  he  had  corne  in  while  they  were  at 
supper,  and  his  cheeks  were  redder,  either 
because  of  the  frosty  air,  or  because  he 
was  so  bashful,  than  even  at  the  time  at 
which  he  met  him  in  the  wood.  He  had 
a  basket  on  his  arm  full  of  large  hazel- 
nuts.  They  were  not  of  the  wild  kind, 
but  had  been  evidently  cultivated  with 
care.  Blushing  deeply,  he  advanced  to 
meet  Harry,  made  his  best  school  bow, 
and  stammering  through  bashfulness,  beg 
ged  he  would  accept  them  as  a  Christmas 
gift.  "  I  have  nothing  else  to  give  you, 
Master  Harry,  but  these  are  very  good ; 
we  have  three  or  four  bushes  in  our  gar 
den,  and  my  mother  gave  me  leave  to 
pick  this  basketful  for  you.  She  said  I 
was  wrong  to  behave  as  I  did  about  the 
strawberries,  for  there  were  plenty  more, 
and  if  I  had  given  them  as  you  asked  me, 
there  would  not  have  been  any  quarrel. 
I  hope  you  will  like  them,  and  not  be 
angry  with  me.  Mrs.  Kingsley  gave  me 
your  little  watch  which,  she  said,  you  told 


A   CHRISTMAS   PARTY.  249 

her  to  do.  O  it  is  so  nice  to  have  a 
watch,  and  I  am  so  thankful  you  gave 
me  one." 

Much  ashamed,  Harry  took  the  basket, 
and  as  he  turned  over  the  nice  large  nuts 
that  it  contained,  he  said :  "  I  am  much 
obliged  to  you,  Allen,  for  the  nuts;  but 
you  can  give  me  something  better,  which 
is,  to  forget  my  bad  behavior  to  you  in 
the  wood  the  day  we  quarrelled  about 
the  strawberries.  I  am  ashamed  to  think 
how  ill  I  treated  you.  And  now  you 
must  stay  all  the  evening,  and  to-morrow 
Ned  and  I  want  you  to  go  round  with  us 
to  see  the  neighbors.  Must  he  not, 
mother?  we  are  going  to  have  a  merry 
Christmas,  and  Bill  must  help  us." 

Mrs.  Kingsley  gave  a  pleased  consent ; 
and  now  the  servants  coming  in,  each  re 
ceived  a  small  present,  being  at  that  time 
more  usual  to  present  the  gift  on  Christmas 
Eve  than  Christmas  Day.  Bill  Allen  re 
ceived  a  very  nice  penknife  ;  Ned  a  most 
beautifully  bound  book  full  of  historical 
tales,  and  embellished  with  colored  en 
gravings.  Nothing  could  have  given  him 


250  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

greater  pleasure  than  a  book  of  this 
kind,  for  he  was  very  fond  of  read 
ing. 

Harry  received  his  present  last  of  all ; 
it  was  a  small  gold  watch  which  struck 
the  hour,  of  handsome  workmanship,  with 
a  guard  made  of  his  mother's  hair.  Mrs. 
Kingsley  knew  that  there  was  nothing 
which  Harry  loved  better  than  a  watch, 
and  appreciating  the  self-sacrifice  he  made 
when  he  bade  her  give  his  little  silver 
watch  to  Bill  Allen,  she  resolved  to  give 
him  another  in  place  of  it.  In  examining 
it  closely,  an  inscription  was  found  in  the 
inside,  engraved  in  small  but  beautifully 
plain  letters,  admonishing  the  young 
owner,  "  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  dil 
igence-,  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life." 

Harry  was  no  less  surprised  than  de 
lighted  ;  he  had  not  expected  such  a  costly 
present ;  he  read  the  motto  again  and 
again,  and  was  at  no  loss  to  understand 
its  meaning.  Overwhelmed  with  grati 
tude  and  other  emotions,  he  threw  his 
arms  around  Mrs.  Kingsley's  neck,  and 
exclaimed : 


A   CHRISTMAS    PARTY.  251 

"  My  dear  mother,  I  feel  ashamed  when 
I  think  how  little  I  have  deserved  your 
kindness.  How  patiently  you  have  borne 
with  all  my  fro  ward  ness  and  bad  behav 
ior.  But  now  for  the  future  I  am  determ 
ined  to  do  right,  and  make  you  as  happy 
as  I  once  made  you  sorry." 

"  We  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves,  Mas 
ter  Harry,  we  must  have  help  from  above," 
said  a  voice  with  which  our  hero  was  well 
acquainted.  It  was  that  of  old  Walter 
Rowley,  whom  Mrs.  Kingsley  had  invited 
to  come  on  Christmas  Eve,  and  who  had 
just  entered  the  parlor  while  Harry  was 
speaking.  The  old  man  received  a  cordial 
greeting,  and  to  the  inquiries  he  made  as 
to  what  had  become  of  poor  Barney,  and 
why  he  had  not  come  with  him,  he  an 
swered  that  he  had,  according  to  his  re 
quest,  taken  the  Irish  lad  back  again,  and 
that  he  was  coming  on  the  next  morning 
to  wish  him  a  merry  Christmas.  He 
greeted  the  son  of  his  late  beloved  em 
ployer  in  a  manner  which  left  no  doubt  of 
the  sincerity  with  which  the  pardon  he 
had  asked  was  granted ;  and  when  Harry 


252  PARSON    HUBERT'S    SCHOOL. 

said  to  him,  "  Walter,  I  hope  you  will 
never  have  occasion  to  complain  of  me 
again,  for  I  am  determined  to  try  to  do 
right,"  the  old  man's  face  beamed  with  a 
look  of  delight  as  he  replied : 

"  With  help  from  a  higher  power 
strengthening  us,  we  can  do  all  things, 
Master  Harry ;  and  we  are  told  that  '  no 
evil  can  happen  to  the  just;'"  and  then 
in  a  voice  expressive  of  deeper  emotion 
he  added :  "  '  He  that  covereth  his  sins 
shall  not  prosper;  but  whoso  confesseth 
and  forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy.' " 

"  Amen !"  said  Mrs.  Kingsley,  and  lay 
ing  her  hand  upon  the  wavy  locks  of  her 
reformed  boy,  a  silent  prayer,  such  as  can 
only  proceed  from  the  heart  of  a  mother, 
was  breathed  up  to  heaven,  and  no  doubt 
became  registered  there. 


THE     END. 


BOOKS  FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 


8OO    Mnlberry-fltrect,    New     York. 

LETTERS  TO  LITTLE  CHILDREN. 

Seven  Illustrations.     18mo.,  pp.  110. 

OF!  PATIENT; 

Or,  The  Story  of  Solomon  Granby,  related  by  Himbtlf 
ISmo.,  pp.  90. 

AN  EXAMPLE  FOR  YOUNG  MEN  : 

A    Memoir    of    John    Daglish.      By   SAMUEL  DUNN 

ISmo.,  pp.  92. 

PITHY  PAPERS, 

For  Week-Day  Reading.     By  OLD  HUMPHREY.     Three 

Illustrations.     18mo.,  pp.  219. 

SODOM  AND  GOMORRAH. 

A  Brief  Account  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.     Two  Illus 
trations.     18mo.,  pp.  63. 

THE  FEAST  OF  BELSHAZZAR. 

By  the  Author  of  "  Sodom  and   Gomorrah."     18mo., 
pp.  56. 

APPEARANCE  AND  PRINCIPLE  ; 

Or,  A  Sketch  of  Three  Young  Ladies  at  School,  and  in 
Subsequent  Life.     llSmo.,  pp.  5£. 

THE  WILL-FORGERS; 

Or,  The  Church  of  Rome.    By   Rev.  C.  B.  TA\LER. 

ISmo.,  pp.  99. 

THE  WIDOW'S  JEWELS. 

By  MRS.  PICKARD.    Two  Illustrations.    18mo.,  pp.  64. 

THE  STORY  OF  JEROBOAM, 

The  Son  of  Nebat.    By  WILLIAM  A.  ALCOTT.     18m « ., 
pp.  85. 

THE  VISITOR; 

Or,  Calls  of  Usefulness.     Illustrated.    Two  volume  a. 
18mo.,  pp.  105,  94. 


BOOKS  FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 


200     Mulberry-street,    New    York. 

THE  DEVOUT  SOLDIER: 

A  Memoir  of  Major  General  Burn,  of  the  RojaJ 
.Marines.  By  Rev.  DANIEL  WISE,  Author  of  "  Thu 
Macgregor  Family."  etc.  Two  Illustrations.  IHnio., 
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NOTICES  OF  FUH  CHAU, 

And  the  other  Open  Ports  of  China:  with  Reference 
to  Missionary  Operations.  With  Illustrations.  18mo., 
pp.  256. 

THE  BIBLE  SCHOLAR'S  MANUAL  : 

Embracing  a  General  Account  of  the  Books  and  Writers 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  the  Geography  and 
History  of  Palestine,  the  History  and  Customs  of  the 
Jews,  etc,  For  Bible  Classes  and  General  Reading. 
By  Rev.  B.  K.  PEIRCE.  18mo.,  pp.  342. 

THE  INDIAN  ARCHIPELAGO: 

Its  Mariners,  Arts,  Languages,  Religions,  and  Institu 
tions.  By  Rev.  JAMES  RAWSON,  A.  M.  With  Illus 
trations.  Two  volumes,  18mo.,  pp.  201,  168. 

WILLIAM; 

Or,  The  Converted  Romanist.  Translated  from  the 
French.  18mo.,  pp.  105. 

THE  LIFE  OF  CYRUS. 

ISmo.,  pp.  185. 
THE  DAWN  OF  MODERN  CIVILIZATION  j 

Or,  Sketches  of  the  Social  Condition  of  Europe  froro 
the  Twelfth  to  the  Sixteenth  Century.  18mo  ,  pp.  220. 

THU  FISHERMAN'S  SON. 

Two  Illustrations.     18mo.,  pp.  70. 

THE  MOUNTAIN  AND  VALLEY. 

Two  Illustrations.     18mo.,  pp.  73. 
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